ÆSCHYLUS' PROMETHEUS BOUND AND THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES. LITERALLY TRANSLATED, WITH CRITICAL AND ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES, BY THEODORE ALOIS BUCKLEY, B. A. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY EDWARD BROOKS, JR. PHILADELPHIA:DAVID McKAY, PUBLISHER, 610 SOUTH WASHINGTON SQUARE. Copyright, 1897, by DAVID MCKAY. INTRODUCTION. Æschylus, the first of the great Grecian writers of tragedy, was born atEleusis, in 525 B. C. He was the son of Euphorion, who was probably awealthy owner of rich vineyards. The poet's early employment was towatch the grapes and protect them from the ravages of men and otheranimals, and it is said that this occupation led to the development ofhis dramatic genius. It is more easy to believe that it was responsiblefor the development of certain other less admirable qualities of thepoet. His first appearance as a tragic writer was in 499 B. C. , and in 484 B. C. He won a prize in the tragic contests. He took part in the battle ofMarathon, in 490 B. C. , and also fought in the battle of Salamis, in 480B. C. He visited Sicily twice, and probably spent some time in thatcountry, as the use of many Sicilian words in his later plays wouldindicate. There is a curious story related as to his death, which took place atGela in 456 B. C. It is said that an eagle, mistaking his bald head for astone, dropped a tortoise upon it in order to break its shell, and thatthe blow quite killed Æschylus. Too much reliance should not be placedupon this story. It is not known how many plays the poet wrote, but only seven have beenpreserved to us. That these tragedies contain much that is undramatic isundoubtedly true, but it must be remembered that at the time he wrote, Æschylus found the drama in a very primitive state. The personsrepresented consisted of but a single actor, who related some narrativeof mythological or legendary interest, and a chorus, who relieved themonotony of such a performance by the interspersing of a few songs anddances. To Æschylus belongs the credit of creating the dialogue in theGreek drama by the introduction of a second actor. In the following pages will be found a translation of two of the poet'sgreatest compositions, viz. , the "Prometheus Chained" and the "SevenAgainst Thebes. " The first of these dramas has been designated "Thesublimest poem and simplest tragedy of antiquity, " and the second, whileprobably an earlier work and containing much that is undramatic, presents such a splendid spectacle of true Grecian chivalry that it hasbeen regarded as the equal of anything which the author ever attempted. The characters represented in the "Prometheus" are Strength, Force, Vulcan, Prometheus, Io, daughter of Inachus, Ocean and Mercury. The playopens with the appearance of Prometheus in company with Strength, Forceand Vulcan, who have been bidden to bind Prometheus with adamantinefetters to the lofty cragged rocks of an untrodden Scythian desert, because he has offended Jupiter by stealing fire from heaven andbestowing it upon mortals. Vulcan is loth to obey the mandates of Jove, but urged on by Strengthand Force and the fear of the consequences which disobedience willentail, with mighty force drives the wedges into the adamantine rocksand rivets the captive with galling shackles to the ruthless crags. Prometheus, being bound and left alone, bemoans his fate and relates tothe chorus of nymphs the base ingratitude of Jove, who through hiscounsels having overwhelmed the aged Saturn beneath the murky abyss ofTartarus, now rewards his ally with indignities because he hadcompassion upon mortals. Ocean then comes to Prometheus, offering sympathy and counsel, urginghim not to utter words thus harsh and whetted, lest Jupiter seated faraloft may hear them and inflict upon him added woes to which his presentsufferings will seem but child's play. Ocean having taken his departure, Prometheus again complains to thechorus and enumerates the boons which he has bestowed upon mankind, withthe comment that though he has discovered such inventions for mortals, he has no device whereby he may escape from his present misfortune. Io, daughter of Inachus, beloved by Jove, but forced, through thejealous hatred of Juno, to make many wanderings, then appears, andbeseeches Prometheus to discover to her what time shall be the limit ofher sufferings. Prometheus accedes to her request and relates how sheshall wander over many lands and seas until she reaches the city ofCanopus, at the mouth of the Nile, where she shall bring forth aJove-begotten child, from whose seed shall finally spring a dauntlesswarrior renowned in archery, who will liberate Prometheus from hiscaptivity and accomplish the downfall of Jove. Io then resumes her wanderings, and Mercury, sent by Jove, comes toquestion Prometheus as to the nuptials which he has boasted willaccomplish the overthrow of the ruler of the Gods. Him Prometheusreviles with opprobrious epithets, calling him a lackey of the Gods, andrefuses to disclose anything concerning the matter on which he questionshim. The winged God, replying, threatens him with dire calamities. Atempest will come upon him and overwhelm him with thunderbolts, and abloodthirsting eagle shall feed upon his liver. Thus saying, he departs, and immediately the earth commences to heave, the noise of thunder isheard, vivid streaks of lightning blaze throughout the sky and ahurricane--the onslaught of Jove--sweeps Prometheus away in its blast. The "Seven against Thebes" includes in its cast of characters Eteocles, King of Thebes, Antigone and Ismene, Sisters of the King, a Messengerand a Herald. The play opens with the siege of Thebes. Eteocles appearsupon the Acropolis in the early morning, and exhorts the citizens to bebrave and be not over-dismayed at the rabble of alien besiegers. Amessenger arrives and announces the rapid approach of the Argives. Eteocles goes to see that the battlements and the gates are properlymanned, and during his absence the chorus of Theban maidens set up agreat wail of distress and burst forth with violent lamentations. Eteocles, returning, upbraids them severely for their weakness and bidsthem begone and raise the sacred auspicious shout of the pæan as anencouragement to the Theban warriors. He then departs to prepare himselfand six others to meet in combat the seven chieftains who have comeagainst the city. He soon re-enters, and at the same time comes the messenger from anotherpart of the city with fresh tidings of the foe and the arrangement ofthe invaders around the walls of the city. By the gate of Proetusstands the raging Tydeus with his helm of hairy crests and his bucklertricked out with a full moon and a gleaming sky full of stars, againstwhom Eteocles will marshal the wary son of Astacus, a noble and a modestyouth, who detests vain boastings and yet is not a coward. By the Electron gate is stationed the giant Campaneus, who bears abouthim the device of a naked man with a gleaming torch in his hands, cryingout "I will burn the city. " Against him will be pitted the doughtyPolyphontes, favored by Diana and other gods. Against the gate of Neis the mighty Eteoclus is wheeling his foamingsteeds, bearing a buckler blazoned with a man in armor treading thesteps of a ladder to his foeman's tower. Megareus, the offspring ofCreon, is the valiant warrior who will either pay the debt of hisnurture to his land or will decorate his father's house with the spoilsof the conquered Eteoclus. The fiery Hippomedon is raging at the gate of Onca Minerva, bearing uponhis buckler a Typhon darting forth smoke through his fire-breathingmouth, eager to meet the brave Hyperbius, son of OEnops, who has beenselected to check his impetuous onslaught. At the gate of Boreas the youthful Parthenopæus takes his stand, afair-faced stripling, upon whose face the youthful down is just makingits appearance. Opposed to him stands Actor, a man who is no braggart, but who will not submit to boastful tauntings or permit the rashintruder to batter his way into the city. The mighty Amphiarus is waiting at the gate of Homolöis, and in themeantime reproaches his ally, Tydeus, calling him a homicide, andPolynices he rebukes with having brought a mighty armament into hisnative city. Lasthenes, he of the aged mind but youthful form, is theThebian who has been chosen to marshal his forces against this invader. At the seventh gate stands Polynices, brother of Eteocles, bearing awell-wrought shield with a device constructed upon it of a woman leadingon a mailed warrior, bringing havoc to his paternal city and desirous ofbecoming a fratricide. Against him Eteocles will go and face him inperson, and leader against leader, brother against brother and foemanagainst foeman, take his stand. Eteocles then departs to engage in battle, and soon after the messengerenters to announce that six of the Theban warriors have been successful, but that Polynices and Eteocles have both fallen, slain by each other'shand. Antigone and Ismene then enter, each bewailing the death of theirbrothers. A herald interrupts them in the midst of their lamentations toannounce to them the decree of the senate, which is that Eteocles, onaccount of his attachment to his country, though a fratricide, shall behonored with fitting funeral rites, but that Polynices, the would-beoverturner of his native city, shall be cast out unburied, a prey to thedogs. Against this decree Antigone rebels, and with her final words announcesher unalterable intention of burying her brother in spite of the fatewhich awaits her disobedience to the will of the senate. PROMETHEUS CHAINED. Prometheus having, by his attention to the wants of men, provoked the anger of Jove, is bound down in a cleft of a rock in a distant desert of Scythia. Here he not only relates the wanderings, but foretells the future lot of Io, and likewise alludes to the fall of Jove's dynasty. Disdaining to explain his meaning to Mercury, he is swept into the abyss amid terrific hurricane and earthquake. PERSONS REPRESENTED. STRENGTH. FORCE. VULCAN. PROMETHEUS. CHORUS OF NYMPHS, DAUGHTERS OF OCEAN. IO, DAUGHTER OF INACHUS. MERCURY. STRENGTH, FORCE, VULCAN, PROMETHEUS. STRENGTH. [1]We are come to a plain, the distant boundary of the earth, to the Scythian track, to an untrodden[2] desert. Vulcan, it behoovesthee that the mandates, which thy Sire imposed, be thy concern--to bindthis daring wretch[3] to the lofty-cragged rocks, in fetters ofadamantine chains that can not be broken; for he stole and gave tomortals thy honor, the brilliancy of fire [that aids] all arts. [4] Hencefor such a trespass he must needs give retribution to the gods, that hemay be taught to submit to the sovereignty of Jupiter, and to cease fromhis philanthropic disposition. VULCAN. Strength and Force, as far as you are concerned, the mandate ofJupiter has now[5] its consummation, and there is no farther obstacle. But I have not the courage to bind perforce a kindred god to thisweather-beaten ravine. Yet in every way it is necessary for me to takecourage for this task; for a dreadful thing it is to disregard[6] thedirections of the Sire. [7] Lofty-scheming son of right-counselingThemis, unwilling shall I rivet thee unwilling in indissoluble shacklesto this solitary rock, where nor voice nor form of any one of mortalsshalt thou see;[8] but slowly scorched by the bright blaze of the sunthou shalt lose the bloom of thy complexion; and to thee joyous shallnight in spangled robe[9] veil the light; and the sun again disperse thehoar-frost of the morn; and evermore shall the pain of the present evilwaste thee; for no one yet born shall release thee. Such fruits hastthou reaped from thy friendly disposition to mankind. For thou, a god, not crouching beneath the wrath of the gods, hast imparted to mortalshonors beyond what was right. In requital whereof thou shalt keepsentinel on this cheerless rock, standing erect, sleepless, not bendinga knee:[10] and many laments and unavailing groans shalt thou utter; forthe heart of Jupiter is hard to be entreated; and every one that hasnewly-acquired power is stern. ST. Well, well! Why art thou delaying and vainly commiserating? Whyloathest thou not the god that is most hateful to the gods, who hasbetrayed thy prerogative to mortals? VUL. Relationship and intimacy are of great power. ST. I grant it--but how is it possible to disobey the Sire's word?Dreadest thou not this the rather? VUL. Ay truly thou art ever pitiless and full of boldness. ST. For to deplore this wretch is no cure [for him]. But concern notthou thyself vainly with matters that are of no advantage. VUL. O much detested handicraft! ST. Wherefore loathest thou it! for with the ills now present thy craftin good truth is not at all chargeable. VUL. For all that, I would that some other had obtained this. ST. Every thing has been achieved except for the gods to rule; for noone is free save Jupiter. [11] VUL. I know it--and I have nothing to say against it. [12] ST. Wilt thou not then bestir thyself to cast fetters about this wretch, that the Sire may not espy thee loitering? VUL. Ay, and in truth you may see the manacles ready. ST. Take them, and with mighty force clench them with the mallet abouthis hands: rivet him close to the crags. VUL. This work of ours is speeding to its consummation and loiters not. ST. Smite harder, tighten, slacken at no point, for he hath cunning tofind outlets even from impracticable difficulties. VUL. This arm at all events is fastened inextricably. ST. And now clasp this securely, that he may perceive himself to be aduller contriver than Jupiter. VUL. Save this [sufferer], no one could with reason find fault with me. ST. Now by main force rivet the ruthless fang of an adamantine wedgeright through his breast. [13] VUL. Alas! alas! Prometheus, I sigh over thy sufferings. ST. Again thou art hanging back, and sighest thou over the enemies ofJupiter? Look to it, that thou hast not at some time to mourn forthyself. VUL. Thou beholdest a spectacle ill-sighted to the eye. ST. I behold this wretch receiving his deserts. But fling thou thesegirths round his sides. VUL. I must needs do this; urge me not very much. ST. Ay, but I will urge thee, and set thee on too. Move downward, andstrongly link his legs. VUL. And in truth the task is done with no long toil. ST. With main force now smite the galling fetters, since stern indeed isthe inspector of this work. VUL. Thy tongue sounds in accordance with thy form. ST. Yield thou to softness, but taunt not me with ruthlessness andharshness of temper. VUL. Let us go; since he hath the shackles about his limbs. ST. There now be insolent; and after pillaging the prerogatives of thegods, confer them on creatures of a day. In what will mortals be able toalleviate these agonies of thine? By no true title do the divinitiescall thee Prometheus; for thou thyself hast need of a Prometheus, bymeans of which you will slip out of this fate. [14] [_Exeunt_ STRENGTH _and_ FORCE. PROMETHEUS. O divine æther, and ye swift-winged breezes, and yefountains of rivers, and countless dimpling[15] of the waves of thedeep, and thou earth, mother of all--and to the all-seeing orb of theSun I appeal; look upon me, what treatment I, a god, am enduring at thehand of the gods! Behold with what indignities mangled I shall have towrestle through time of years innumerable. Such an ignominious bondagehath the new ruler of the immortals devised against me. Alas! alas! Isigh over the present suffering, and that which is coming on. How, wheremust a termination of these toils arise? And yet what is it I am saying?I know beforehand all futurity exactly, and no suffering will come uponme unlooked-for. But I needs must bear my doom as easily as may be, knowing as I do, that the might of Necessity can not be resisted. But yet it is not possible for me either to hold my peace, or not tohold my peace touching these my fortunes. For having bestowed boons uponmortals, I am enthralled unhappy in these hardships. And I am he thatsearched out the source of fire, by stealth borne-off inclosed in afennel-rod, [16] which has shown itself a teacher of every art tomortals, and a great resource. Such then as this is the vengeance that Iendure for my trespasses, being riveted in fetters beneath the nakedsky. Hah! what sound, what ineffable odor[17] hath been wafted to me, emanating from a god, or from mortal, or of some intermediate nature?Has there come anyone to the remote rock as a spectator of mysufferings, or with what intent![18] Behold me an ill-fated god indurance, the foe of Jupiter, him that hath incurred the detestation ofall the gods who frequent the court of Jupiter, by reason of myexcessive friendliness to mortals. Alas! alas! what can this hastymotion of birds be which I again hear hard by me? The air too iswhistling faintly with the whirrings of pinions. Every thing thatapproaches is to me an object of dread. CHORUS. Dread thou nothing; for this is a friendly band that has comewith the fleet rivalry of their pinions to this rock, after prevailingwith difficulty on the mind of our father. And the swiftly-waftingbreezes escorted me; for the echo of the clang of steel pierced to therecess of our grots, and banished my demure-looking reserve; and I spedwithout my sandals in my winged chariot. PR. Alas! alas! ye offspring of prolific Thetys, and daughters of Oceanyour sire, who rolls around the whole earth in his unslumbering stream;look upon me, see clasped in what bonds I shall keep an unenviable watchon the topmost crags of this ravine. CH. I see, Prometheus: and a fearful mist full of tears darts over mineeyes, as I looked on thy frame withering on the rocks[19] in thesegalling adamantine fetters: for new pilots are the masters of Olympus;and Jove, contrary to right, lords it with new laws, and thingsaforetime had in reverence he is obliterating. PR. Oh would that he had sent me beneath the earth, and below into theboundless Tartarus of Hades that receives the dead, after savagelysecuring me in indissoluble bonds, so that no god at any time, nor anyother being, had exulted in this my doom. Whereas now, hapless one, I, the sport of the winds, suffer pangs that gladden my foes. CH. Who of the gods is so hard-hearted as that these things should begrateful to him? Who is there that sympathizes not with thy sufferings, Jove excepted? He, indeed, in his wrath, assuming an inflexible temper, is evermore oppressing the celestial race! nor will he cease before thateither he shall have sated his heart, or some one by some stratagemshall have seized upon his sovereignity that will be no easy prize. PR. In truth hereafter the president of the immortals[20] shall haveneed of me, albeit that I am ignominiously suffering in stubbornshackles, to discover to him the new plot by which he is to be despoiledof his sceptre and his honors. But neither shall he win me by thehoney-tongued charms of persuasion; nor will I at any time, crouchingbeneath his stern threats, divulge this matter, before he shall havereleased me from my cruel bonds, and shall be willing to yield meretribution for this outrage. CH. Thou indeed both art bold, and yieldest nought to thy bittercalamities, but art over free in thy language. But piercing terror isworrying my soul; for I fear for thy fortunes. How, when will it be thydestiny to make the haven and see the end of these thy sufferings? forthe son of Saturn has manners that supplication cannot reach, and aninexorable heart. PR. I know that Jupiter is harsh, and keeps justice to himself; but forall that he shall hereafter be softened in purpose, when he shall becrushed in this way; and, after calming his unyielding temper witheagerness will he hereafter come into league and friendship with me thatwill eagerly [welcome him]. CH. Unfold and speak out to us the whole story, from what accusation hasJupiter seized thee, and is thus disgracefully and bitterly tormentingthee. Inform us, if thou be in no respect hurt by the recital. PR. Painful indeed are these things for me to tell, and painful too forme to hold my peace, and in every way grievous. As soon as thedivinities began discord, and a feud was stirred up among them with oneanother--one party[21] wishing to eject Saturn from his throne, inorder forsooth that Jupiter might be king, and others expediting thereverse, that Jupiter might at no time rule over the gods: then I, whenI gave the best advice, was not able to prevail upon the Titans, children of Uranus and Terra; but they, contemning in their stoutspirits wily schemes, fancied that without any trouble, and by dint ofmain force, they were to win the sovereignty. But it was not once onlythat my mother Themis, and Terra, a single person with many titles, hadforewarned me of the way in which the future would be accomplished; howit was destined, that, not by main force, nor by the strong hand, but bycraft the victors should prevail. When, however, I explained such pointsin discourse, they deigned not to pay me any regard at all. Of the planswhich then presented themselves to me, the best appeared that I shouldtake my mother and promptly side with Jupiter, who was right willing [toreceive us]. And 'tis by means of my counsels that the murky abyss ofTartarus overwhelms the antique Saturn, allies and all. After thus beingassisted by me, the tyrant of the gods hath recompensed me with thisfoul recompense. For somehow this malady attaches to tyranny, not to putconfidence in its friends. But for your inquiries upon what charge is itthat he outrages me, this I will make clear. As soon as he hasestablished himself on his father's throne, he assigns forthwith to thedifferent divinities each his honors, and he was marshaling in order hisempire; but of woe-begone mortals he made no account, but wished, afterhaving annihilated the entire race, to plant another new one. And theseschemes no one opposed except myself: But I dared: I ransomed mortalsfrom being utterly destroyed, and going down to Hades. 'Tis for this, intruth, that I am bent by sufferings such as these, agonizing to endure, and piteous to look upon. I that had compassion for mortals, have myselfbeen deemed unworthy to obtain this, but mercilessly am thus coerced toorder, a spectacle inglorious to Jupiter. CH. Iron-hearted and formed of rock too, Prometheus, is he, who condolesnot with thy toils: for I could have wished never to have beheld them, and now, when I behold them, I am pained in my heart. PR. Ay, in very deed I am a piteous object for friends to behold. CH. And didst thou chance to advance even beyond this? PR. Yes! I prevented mortals from foreseeing their doom. CH. By finding what remedy for this malady? PR. I caused blind hopes to dwell within them. CH. In this thou gavest a mighty benefit to mortals. PR. Over and above these boons, however, I imparted fire to them. CH. And do the creatures of a day now possess bright fire? PR. Yes--from which they will moreover learn thoroughly many arts. CH. Is it indeed on charges such as these that Jupiter is both visitingthee with indignities, and in no wise grants thee a respite from thypains? And is no period to thy toils set before thee? PR. None other assuredly, but when it may please him. CH. And how shall it be his good pleasure? What hope is there? Seestthou not that thou didst err? but how thou didst err, I can not relatewith pleasure, and it would be a pain to you. But let us leave thesepoints, and search thou for some escape from thine agony. PR. 'Tis easy, for any one that hath his foot unentangled by sufferings, both to exhort and to admonish him that is in evil plight. But I knewall these things willingly, willingly I erred, I will not gainsay it;and in doing service to mortals I brought upon myself sufferings. Yetnot at all did I imagine, that, in such a punishment as this, I was towither away upon lofty rocks, meeting with this desolate solitary crag. And yet wail ye not over my present sorrows, but after alighting on theground, list ye to the fortune that is coming on, that ye may learn thewhole throughout. Yield to me, yield ye, take ye a share in the woes ofhim that is now suffering. Hence in the same way doth calamity, roamingto and fro, settle down on different individuals. CH. Upon those who are nothing loth hast thou urged this, Prometheus:and now having with light step quitted my rapidly-wafted chariot-seat, and the pure æther, highway of the feathered race, I will draw near tothis rugged ground: and I long to hear the whole tale of thy sufferings. _Enter_ OCEAN. I am arrived at the end of a long journey, [22] having passed over [it]to thee, Prometheus, guiding this winged steed of mine, swift of pinion, by my will, without a bit; and, rest assured, I sorrow with thymisfortunes. For both the tie of kindred thus constrains me, and, relationship apart, there is no one on whom I would bestow a largershare [of my regard] than to thyself. And thou shalt know that thesewords are sincere, and that it is not in me vainly to do lip-service;for come, signify to me in what it is necessary for me to assist thee;for at no time shalt thou say that thou hast a stancher friend thanOceanus. PR. Hah! what means this? and hast thou too come to be a witness of mypangs? How hast thou ventured, after quitting both the stream that bearsthy name, and the rock-roofed self-wrought[23] grots, to come into theiron teeming land? Is it that you may contemplate my misfortunes, and assympathizing with my woes that thou hast come? Behold a spectacle, mehere the friend of Jupiter, that helped to establish his sovereignty, with what pains I am bent by him. OC. I see, Prometheus, and to thee, subtle as thou art, I wish to givethe best counsel. Know thyself, and assume to thyself new manners; foramong the gods too there is a new monarch. But if thou wilt utter wordsthus harsh and whetted, Jupiter mayhap, though seated far aloft, willhear thee, so that the present bitterness of sufferings will seem tothee to be child's play. But, O hapless one! dismiss the passion whichthou feelest, and search for a deliverance from these sufferings ofthine. Old-fashioned maxims these, it may be, I appear to thee to utter;yet such becomes the wages of the tongue that talks too proudly. But noteven yet art thou humble, nor submittest to ills; and in addition tothose that already beset thee, thou art willing to bring others uponthee. Yet not, if at least thou takest me for thy instructor, wilt thoustretch out thy leg against the pricks; as thou seest that a harshmonarch, and one that is not subject to control, is lording it. And nowI for my part will go, and will essay, if I be able, to disinthrall theefrom these thy pangs. But be thou still, nor be over impetuous in thylanguage. What! knowest thou not exactly, extremely intelligent as thouart, that punishment is inflicted on a froward tongue? PR. I give thee joy, because that thou hast escaped censure, aftertaking part in and venturing along with me in all things. And now leavehim alone, and let it not concern thee. For in no wise wilt thoupersuade him; for he is not open to persuasion. And look thou well to itthat thou take not harm thyself by the journey. OC. Thou art far better calculated by nature to instruct thy neighborsthan thyself: I draw my conclusion from fact, and not from word. Butthink not for a moment to divert me from the attempt. For I amconfident, yea, I am confident, that Jupiter will grant me this boon, soas to release thee from these pangs of thine. PR. In part I commend thee, and will by no means at any time cease to doso. For in zeal to serve me thou lackest nothing. But trouble thyselfnot; for in vain, without being of any service to me, [24] wilt thoulabor, if in any respect thou art willing to labor. But hold thou thypeace, and keep thyself out of harm's way; for I, though I be inmisfortune, would not on this account be willing that sufferings shouldbefall as many as possible. No, indeed, since also the disasters of mybrother Atlas gall my heart, who is stationed in the western regions, sustaining on his shoulders the pillar of heaven and of earth, a burdennot of easy grasp. I commiserated too when I beheld the earth-borninmate of the Cilician caverns, a tremendous prodigy, the hundred-headedimpetuous Typhon, overpowered by force, who withstood all the gods, hissing slaughter from his hungry jaws; and from his eyes there flasheda hideous glare, as though he would perforce overthrow the sovereigntyof Jove. But the sleepless shaft of Jupiter came upon him, thedescending thunderbolt breathing forth flame, which scared him out ofhis presumptuous bravadoes; for having been smitten to his very soul hewas crumbled to a cinder, and thunder-blasted in his prowess. And now, ahelpless and paralyzed form is he lying hard by a narrow frith, presseddown beneath the roots of Ætna. [25] And, seated on the topmost peaks, Vulcan forges the molten masses, whence there shall one day burst forthfloods devouring with fell jaws the level fields of fruitful Sicily:with rage such as this shall Typhon boil over in hot artillery of anever-glutted fire-breathing storm; albeit he hath been reduced to ashesby the thunder-bolt of Jupiter. But thou art no novice, nor needest thoume for thine instructor. Save thyself as best thou knowest how; but Iwill exhaust my present fate until such time as the spirit of Jupitershall abate its wrath. OC. Knowest thou not this then, Prometheus, that words are thephysicians of a distempered feeling?[26] PR. True, if one seasonably soften down the heart, and do not with rudeviolence reduce a swelling spirit. OC. Ay, but in foresight along with boldness[27] what mischief is therethat thou seest to be inherent? inform me. PR. Superfluous trouble and trifling folly. OC. Suffer me to sicken in this said sickness, since 'tis of the highestadvantage for one that is wise not to seem to be wise. PR. (Not so, for) this trespass will seem to be mine. OC. Thy language is plainly sending me back to my home. PR. Lest thy lamentation over me bring thee into ill-will. OC. What with him who hath lately seated himself on the throne thatruleth over all? PR. Beware of him lest at any time his heart be moved to wrath. OC. Thy disaster, Prometheus, is my monitor. PR. Away! withdraw thee, keep thy present determination. OC. On me, hastening to start, hast thou urged this injunction; for mywinged quadruped flaps with his pinions the smooth track of æther; andblithely would he recline his limbs in his stalls at home. [_Exit_ OC. CH. I bewail thee for thy lost fate, Prometheus. A flood of tricklingtears from my yielding eyes has bedewed my cheek with its humidgushings; for Jupiter commanding this thine unenviable doom by laws ofhis own, displays his spear appearing superior o'er the gods of old. [28]And now the whole land echoes with wailing--they wail thy stately andtime-graced honors, and those of thy brethren; and all they of mortalrace that occupy a dwelling neighboring on hallowed Asia[29] mourn withthy deeply-deplorable sufferings: the virgins that dwell in the land ofColchis too, fearless of the fight, and the Scythian horde who possessthe most remote regions of earth around lake Mæotis; and the war-likeflower of Arabia, [30] who occupy a fortress on the craggy heights inthe neighborhood of Caucasus, a warrior-host, clamoring amidsharply-barbed spears. One other god only, indeed, have I heretofore beheld in miseries, theTitan Atlas, subdued by the galling of adamantine[31] bonds, whoevermore in his back is groaning beneath[32] the excessive mighty massof the pole of heaven. And the billow of the deep roars as it falls incadence, the depth moans, and the murky vault of Hades rumbles beneaththe earth, and the fountains of the pure streaming rivers wail for hispiteous pains. PR. Do not, I pray you, suppose that I am holding my peace from pride orself-will; but by reflection am I gnawed to the heart, seeing myselfthus ignominiously entreated. [33] And yet who but myself definedcompletely the prerogative for these same new gods? But on these mattersI say nothing, for I should speak to you already acquainted with thesethings. But for the misfortunes that existed among mortals, hear how Imade them, that aforetime lived as infants, rational and possessed ofintellect. [34] And I will tell you, having no complaint againstmankind, as detailing the kindness of the boons which I bestowed uponthem: they who at first seeing saw in vain, hearing they heard not. But, like to the forms of dreams, for a long time they used to huddletogether all things at random, and naught knew they aboutbrick-built[35] and sun-ward houses, nor carpentry; but they dwelt inthe excavated earth like tiny emmets in the sunless depths of caverns. And they had no sure sign either of winter, or of flowery spring, or offruitful summer; but they used to do every thing without judgment, untilindeed I showed to them the risings of the stars and their settings, [36]hard to be discerned. And verily I discover for them Numbers, the surpassing allinventions, [37] the combinations too of letters, and Memory, effectivemother-nurse of all arts. I also first bound with yokes beastssubmissive to the collars; and in order that with their bodies theymight become to mortals substitutes for their severest toils, I broughtsteeds under cars obedient to the rein, [38] a glory to pompous luxury. And none other than I invented the canvas-winged chariots of marinersthat roam over the ocean. After discovering for mortals such inventions, wretch that I am, I myself have no device whereby I may escape from mypresent misery. CH. Thou hast suffered unseemly ills, baulked in thy discretion thou arterring; and like a bad physician, having fallen into a distemper thouart faint-hearted, and, in reference to thyself, thou canst not discoverby what manner of medicines thou mayest be cured. PR. When thou hearest the rest of my tale, thou wilt wonder still morewhat arts and resources I contrived. For the greatest--if that any onefell into a distemper, there was no remedy, neither in the way of diet, nor of liniment, nor of potion, but for lack of medicines they used topine away to skeletons, before that I pointed out to them thecomposition[39] of mild remedies, wherewith they ward off all theirmaladies. Many modes too of the divining art did I classify, and was thefirst that discriminated among dreams those which are destined to be atrue vision; obscure vocal omens[40] too I made known to them; tokensalso incidental on the road, and the flight of birds of crooked talons Iclearly defined, both those that are in their nature auspicious, and theill-omened, and what the kind of life that each leads, and what aretheir feuds and endearments[41] and intercourse one with another: thesmoothness too of the entrails, and what hue they must have to beacceptable to the gods, the various happy formations of the gall andliver, and the limbs enveloped in fat: and having roasted the long chineI pointed out to mortals the way into an abstruse art; and I brought tolight the fiery symbols[42] that were aforetime wrapt in darkness. Suchindeed were these boons; and the gains to mankind that were hidden underground, brass, iron, silver, and gold--who could assert that he haddiscovered before me? No one, I well know, who does not mean to idlybabble. And in one brief sentence learn the whole at once--All artsamong the human race are from Prometheus. CH. Do not now serve the human race beyond what is profitable, nordisregard thyself in thy distress: since I have good hopes that thoushalt yet be liberated from these shackles, and be not one whit lesspowerful than Jove. PR. Not at all in this way is Fate, that brings events to theirconsummation ordained to accomplish these things: but after having beenbent by countless sufferings and calamities, thus am I to escape from myshackles. And art is far less powerful than necessity. CH. Who then is the pilot of necessity? PR. The triform Fates and the remembering Furies. CH. Is Jupiter then less powerful than these? PR. Most certainly he can not at any rate escape his doom. [43] CH. Why, what is doomed for Jupiter but to reign for evermore? PR. This thou mayest not yet learn, and do not press it. CH. 'Tis surely some solemn mystery that thou veilest. PR. Make mention of some other matter; it is by no means seasonable toproclaim this; but it must be shrouded in deepest concealment; for it isby keeping this secret that I am to escape from my ignominious shacklesand miseries. CH. Never may Jupiter, who directs all things, set his might inopposition to my purpose: nor may I be backward in attending upon thegods at their hallowed banquets, at which oxen are sacrificed, besidethe restless stream of my sire Ocean; and may I not trespass in mywords; but may this feeling abide by me and never melt away. Sweet it isto pass through a long life in confident hopes, making the spirits swellwith bright merriment; but I shudder as I behold thee harrowed byagonies incalculable. . . . For not standing in awe of Jupiter, thou, Prometheus, in thy self-will honorest mortals to excess. Come, myfriend, own how boonless was the boon; say where is any aid? What reliefcan come from the creatures of a day? Sawest thou not the powerlessweakness, nought better than a dream, in which the blind race of men isentangled? Never shall at any time the schemes of mortals evade theharmonious system of Jupiter. This I learned by witnessing thydestructive fate, Prometheus. And far different is this strain that nowflits toward me from the hymenæal chant which I raised around the bathsand thy couch with the consent[44] of nuptials, when, after having wonHesione with thy love-tokens, thou didst conduct her our sister to bethy bride, the sharer of thy bed. _Enter_ IO. [45] What land is this? what race? whom shall I say I here beholdstorm-tossed in rocky fetters? Of what trespass is the retributiondestroying thee? Declare to me into what part of earth I forlorn haveroamed. Ah me! alas! alas! again the hornet[46] stings me miserable: Oearth avert[47] the goblin of earth-born Argus:[48] I am terrified atthe sight of the neatherd of thousand eyes, for he is journeying on, keeping a cunning glance, whom not even after death does earth conceal;but issuing forth from among the departed he chases me miserable, and hemakes me to wander famished along the shingled strand, while thesounding wax-compacted pipe drones on a sleepy strain. Oh! oh! yepowers! Oh! powers! whither do my far-roaming wanderings convey me? Inwhat, in what, O son of Saturn, hast thou, having found metransgressing, shackled me in these pangs? Ah! ah! and art thus wearingout a timorous wretch frenzied with sting-driven fear. Burn me withfire, or bury me in earth, or give me for food to the monsters of thedeep, and grudge me not these prayers, O king! Amply have mymuch-traversed wanderings harassed me; nor can I discover how I mayavoid pain. Hearest thou the address of the ox-horned maiden? PR. How can I fail to hear the damsel that is frenzy-driven by thehornet, the daughter of Inachus, who warms the heart of Jupiter withlove, and now, abhorred of Juno, is driven perforce courses of exceedinglength? IO. From whence utterest thou the name of my father? Tell me, thewoe-begone, who thou art, who, I say, O hapless one, that hast thuscorrectly accosted me miserable, and hast named the heaven-inflicteddisorder which wastes me, fretting with its maddening stings? Ah! ah!violently driven by the famishing tortures of my boundings have I come avictim to the wrathful counsels of Juno. And of the ill-fated who arethere, ah me! that endure woes such as mine? But do thou clearly defineto me what remains for me to suffer, what salve:[49] what remedy thereis for my malady, discover to me, if at all thou knowest: speak, tell itto the wretched roaming damsel. PR. I will tell thee clearly every thing which thou desirest to learn, not interweaving riddles, but in plain language, as it is right to openthe mouth to friends. Thou seest him that bestowed fire on mortals, Prometheus. IO. O thou that didst dawn a common benefit upon mortals, wretchedPrometheus, as penance for what offense art thou thus suffering? PR. I have just ceased lamenting my own pangs. IO. Wilt thou not then accord to me this boon? PR. Say what it is that thou art asking, for thou mightest learneverything from me. IO. Say who it was that bound thee fast in this cleft? PR. The decree of Jupiter, but the hand of Vulcan. IO. And for what offenses art thou paying the penalty? PR. Thus much alone is all that I can clearly explain to thee. IO. At least, in addition to this, discover what time shall be to mewoe-worn the limit of my wanderings. PR. Not to learn this is better for thee than to learn it. IO. Yet conceal not from me what I am to endure. PR. Nay, I grudge thee not this gift. IO. Why then delayest thou to utter the whole? PR. 'Tis not reluctance, but I am loth to shock thy feelings. IO. Do not be more anxious on my account than is agreeable to me. [50] PR. Since thou art eager, I must needs tell thee: attend thou. CH. Not yet, however; but grant me also a share of the pleasure. Let usfirst learn the malady of this maiden, from her own tale of herdestructive[51] fortunes; but, for the sequel of her afflictions let herbe informed by thee. PR. It is thy part, Io, to minister to the gratification of these nowbefore thee, both for all other reasons, and that they are the sistersof thy father. Since to weep and lament over misfortunes, when one issure to win a tear from the listeners, is well worth the while. IO. I know not how I should disobey you; and in a plain tale ye shalllearn everything that ye desire; and yet I am pained even to speak ofthe tempest that hath been sent upon me from heaven, and the uttermarring of my person, whence it suddenly came upon me, a wretchedcreature! For nightly visions thronging to my maiden chamber, wouldentice me with smooth words: "O damsel, greatly fortunate, why dostthou live long time in maidenhood, when it is in thy power to achieve amatch the very noblest? for Jupiter is fired by thy charms with theshaft of passion, and longs with thee to share in love. But do not, mychild, spurn away from thee the couch of Jupiter; but go forth toLerna's fertile mead, to the folds and ox-stalls of thy father, that theeye of Jove may have respite from its longing. " By dreams such as thesewas I unhappy beset every night, until at length I made bold to tell mysire of the dreams that haunted me by night. And he dispatched both toPytho and Dodona[52] many a messenger to consult the oracles, that hemight learn what it behooved him to do or say, so as to perform what waswell-pleasing to the divinities. And they came bringing a report back oforacles ambiguously worded, indistinct, and obscurely delivered. But atlast a clear response came to Inachus, plainly charging and directinghim to thrust me forth both from my home and my country, to stray anoutcast to earth's remotest limits; and that, if he would not, afiery-visaged thunder-bolt would come from Jupiter, and utterly blot outhis whole race. Overcome by oracles of Loxias such as these, unwillingdid me expel and exclude me unwilling from his dwelling: but the bit ofJupiter[53] perforce constrained him to do this. And straightway myperson and my mind were distorted, and horned, as ye see, stung by thekeenly-biting fly, I rushed with maniac boundings to the sweet stream ofCerchneia, and the fountain[54] of Lerna; and the earth-born neatherdArgus of untempered fierceness, kept dogging me, peering after myfootsteps with thick-set eyes. Him, however, an unlooked-for sudden fatebereaved of life; but I hornet-stricken am driven by the scourge divinefrom land to land. Thou hearest what has taken place, and if thou artable to say what pangs there remain for me, declare them; and do not, compassionating me, warm me with false tales, for I pronounce fabricatedstatements to be a most foul malady. CH. Ah! ah! forbear! Alas! Never, never did I expect that a tale [so]strange would come to my ears, or that sufferings thus horrible towitness and horrible to endure, outrages, terrors with their two-edgedgoad, would chill my spirit. Alas! alas! O Fate! Fate! I shudder as Ibehold the condition of Io. PR. Prematurely, however, are thou sighing, and art full of terror. Hold, until thou shalt also have heard the residue. CH. Say on; inform me fully: to the sick indeed it is sweet to get aclear knowledge beforehand of the sequel of their sorrows. PR. Your former desire at any rate ye gained from me easily; for firstof all ye desired to be informed by her recital of the affliction[55]that attaches to herself. Now give ear to the rest, what sort ofsufferings it is the fate of this young damsel before you to undergo atthe hand of Juno: thou too, seed of Inachus, lay to heart my words, thatthou mayest be fully informed of the termination of thy journey. In thefirst place, after turning thyself from this spot toward the rising ofthe sun, traverse unplowed fields; and thou wilt reach the wanderingScythians, who, raised from off the around, inhabit wicker dwellings onwell-wheeled cars, equipped with distant-shooting bows; to whom thoumust not draw near, but pass on out of their land, bringing thy feet toapproach the rugged roaring shores. And on thy left hand dwell theChalybes, workers of iron, of whom thou must needs beware, for they arebarbarous, and not accessible to strangers. And thou wilt come to theriver Hybristes, [56] not falsely so called, which do not thou cross, forit is not easy to ford, until thou shalt have come to Caucasus itself, loftiest of mountains, where from its very brow the river spouts forthits might. And surmounting its peaks that neighbor on the stars, thoumust go into a southward track, where thou wilt come to theman-detesting host of Amazons, who hereafter shall make a settlement, Themiscyra, on the banks of Thermodon, where lies the ruggedSalmydessian sea-gorge, a host by mariners hated, a step-dame to ships;and they will conduct thee on thy way, and that right willingly. Thoushalt come too to the Cimmerian isthmus, hard by the very portals of alake, with narrow passage, which thou undauntedly must leave, and crossthe Mæotic frith; and there shall exist for evermore among mortals afamous legend concerning thy passage, and after thy name it shall becalled the Bosphorus; and after having quitted European ground, thoushalt come to the Asiatic continent. Does not then the sovereign of thegods seem to you to be violent alike toward all things? for he a godlusting to enjoy the charms of this mortal fair one, hath cast upon herthese wanderings. And a bitter wooer, maiden, hast thou found for thyhand; for think that the words which thou hast now heard are not evenfor a prelude. IO. Woe is me! ah! ah! PR. Thou too in thy turn[57] art crying out and moaning: what wilt thoudo then, when thou learnest the residue of thy ills? CH. What! hast thou aught of suffering left to tell to her? PR. Ay, a tempestuous sea of baleful calamities. IO. What gain then is it for me to live? but why did I not quickly flingmyself from this rough precipice, that dashing on the plain I had ridmyself of all my pangs? for better is it once to die, than all one'sdays to suffer ill. PR. Verily thou wouldst hardly bear the agonies of me to whom it is notdoomed to die. For this would be an escape from sufferings. But nowthere is no limit set to my hardships, until Jove shall have beendeposed from his tyranny. IO. What! is it possible that Jupiter should ever fall from his power? PR. Glad wouldst thou be, I ween, to witness this event. IO. And how not so, I, who through Jupiter am suffering ill? PR. Well, then, thou mayest assure thyself of these things that they areso. IO. By whom is he to be despoiled of his sceptre of tyranny. PR. Himself, by his own senseless counsels. IO. In what manner? Specify it, if there be no harm. PR. He will make such a match as he shall one day rue. [58] IO. Celestial or mortal? If it may be spoken, tell me. PR. But why ask its nature? for it is not a matter that I cancommunicate to you. IO. Is it by a consort that he is to be ejected from his throne? PR. Yes, surely, one that shall give birth to a son mightier than thefather. [59] IO. And has he no refuge from this misfortune? PR. Not he, indeed, before at any rate I after being liberated from myshackles-- IO. Who, then, is he that shall liberate thee in despite of Jupiter? PR. It is ordained that it shall be one of thine own descendants. IO. How sayest thou? Shall child of mine release thee from thy ills? PR. Yes, the third of thy lineage in addition to ten othergenerations. [60] IO. This prophecy of thine is no longer easy for me to form a guessupon. PR. Nor seek thou to know over well thine own pangs. IO. Do not, after proffering me a benefit, withhold it from me. PR. I will freely grant thee one of two disclosures. IO. Explain to me first of what sort they are, and allow me my choice. PR. I allow it thee; for choose whether I shall clearly tell to thee theresidue of thy troubles, or who it is that is to be my deliverer. CH. Of these twain do thou vouchsafe to bestow the one boon on thisdamsel, and the other on me, and disdain thou not my request. To hertell the rest of her wanderings, and to me him that is to deliver thee;for this I long [to hear]. PR. Seeing that ye are eagerly bent upon it, I will not oppose yourwishes, so as not to utter every thing as much as ye desire. To thee inthe first place, Io, will I describe thy mazy wanderings, which do thouengrave on the recording tablets of thy mind. When thou shalt have crossed the stream that is the boundary of theContinents, to the ruddy realms of morn where walks the sun[61] . . . Having passed over the roaring swell of the sea, until thou shalt reachthe Gorgonian plains of Cisthene, where dwell the Phorcides, threeswan-like aged damsels, that possess one eye in common, that have but asingle tooth, on whom ne'er doth the sun glance with his rays, nor thenightly moon. And hard by are three winged sisters of these, thesnake-tressed Gorgons, abhorred of mortals, whom none of human race canlook upon and retain the breath of life. [62] Such is this caution[63]which I mention to thee. Now lend an ear to another hideous spectacle;for be on thy guard against the keen-fanged hounds of Jupiter that neverbark, the gryphons, and the cavalry host of one-eyed Arimaspians, whodwell on the banks of the gold-gushing fount, the stream of Pluto: gonot thou nigh to these. And thou wilt reach a far-distant land, a darktribe, who dwell close upon the fountains of the sun, where is the riverÆthiops. Along the banks of this wend thy way, until thou shalt havereached the cataract where from the Bybline mountains the Nile poursforth his hallowed, grateful stream. This will guide thee to thetriangular land of the Nile; where at length, Io, it is ordained forthee and thy children after thee to found the distant colony. And ifaught of this is obscurely uttered, and hard to be understood, questionme anew, and learn it thoroughly and clearly: as for leisure, I havemore than I desire. CH. If indeed thou hast aught to tell of her baleful wanderings, thatstill remains or hath been omitted, say on; but if thou hast told thewhole, give to us in our turn the favor which we ask, and you, perchance, remember. PR. She hath heard the full term of her journeying. And that she mayknow that she hath not been listening to me in vain, I will relate whathardships she endured before she came hither, giving her this as a sureproof of my statements. The very great multitude indeed of words Ishall omit, and I will proceed to the termination itself of thineaberrations. For after that thou hadst come to the Molossian plains, andabout the lofty ridge of Dodona, where is the oracular seat ofThesprotian Jove, and a portent passing belief, the speaking oaks, bywhich thou wast clearly and without any ambiguity saluted illustriousspouse of Jove that art to be; if aught of this hath any charms forthee. [64] Thence madly rushing along the seaside track, thou didst dartaway to the vast bay of Rhea, from which thou art tempest-driven inretrograde courses: and in time to come, know well that the gulf of thedeep shall be called IO-nian, a memorial of thy passage to all mortals. These hast thou as tokens of my intelligence, how that it perceivessomewhat beyond what appears. The rest I shall tell both to you and to her in common, after reachingthe very identical track of my former narrative. There is on the land'sutmost verge a city Canopus, hard by the Nile's very mouth and alluvialdike; on this spot Jupiter at length makes thee sane by merely soothingand touching thee with his unalarming hand. And named after theprogeniture of Jupiter[65] thou shalt give birth to swarthy Epaphus, whoshall reap the harvest of all the land which the wide-streaming Nilewaters. But fifth in descent from him a generation of fifty virginsshall again come to Argos, not of their own accord, fleeing fromincestuous wedlock with their cousins; and these with fluttering hearts, like falcons left not far behind by doves, shall come pursuing marriagesuch as should not be pursued, but heaven shall be jealous over theirpersons;[66] and Pelasgia shall receive them after being crushed by adeed of night-fenced daring, wrought by woman's hand; for each brideshall bereave her respective husband of life, having dyed in theirthroats[67] a sword of twin sharp edge. Would that in guise like thisVenus might visit my foes! But tenderness shall soften one[68] of themaidens, so that she shall not slay the partner of her couch, but shallbe blunt in her resolve; and of the two alternatives she shall choosethe former, to be called a coward rather than a murderess. She in Argosshall give birth to a race of kings. There needs a long discourse todetail these things distinctly; but from this seed be sure shall springa dauntless warrior renowned in archery, who shall set me free fromthese toils. Such predictions did my aged mother the Titaness Themisrehearse to me; but how and when--to tell this requires a long detail, and thou in knowing it all wouldst be in nought a gainer. IO. Eleleu! Eleleu! Once more the spasm[69] and maddening frenziesinflame me--and the sting of the hornet, wrought by no fire, [70]envenoms me; and with panic my heart throbs violently against my breast. My eyes, too, are rolling in a mazy whirl, and I am carried out of mycourse by the raging blast of madness, having no control of tongue, butmy troubled words dash idly against the surges of loathsome calamity. [_Exit_ IO. CH. Wise was the man, ay, wise indeed, who first weighed well thismaxim, and with his tongue published it abroad, that to match in one'sown degree is best by far;[71] and that one who lives by labor shouldwoo the hand neither of any that have waxed wanton in opulence, nor ofsuch as pride themselves on nobility of birth. Never, O Destines, [72]never . . . May ye behold me approaching as a partner the couch ofJupiter: nor may I be[73] brought to the arms of any bridegroom fromamong the sons of heaven: for I am in dread when I behold the maiden Io, contented with no mortal lover, greatly marred by wearisome wanderingsat the hand of Juno. For myself, indeed--inasmuch as wedlock on one'sown level is free from apprehension--I feel no alarm. [74] And oh! nevermay the love of the mightier gods cast on me a glance that none canelude. This at least is a war without a conflict, accomplishing thingsimpossible:[75] nor know I what might become of me, for I see not how Icould evade the counsel of Jove. PR. Yet truly shall Jove, albeit he is self-willed in his temper, belowly, in such[76] wedlock is he prepared to wed, as shall hurl him outof his sovereignty and off his throne a forgotten thing; and the curseof his father Saturn shall then at length find entire consummation, which he imprecated when he was deposed from his ancient throne. Fromdisasters such as these there is no one of the gods besides myself thatcan clearly disclose to him a way of escape. I know this, and by whatmeans. Wherefore let him rest on in his presumption, putting confidencein his thunders aloft, brandishing in his hand a fire-breathing bolt. For not one jot shall these suffice to save him from falling dishonoredin a downfall beyond endurance; such an antagonist is he now with hisown hands preparing against himself, a portent that shall baffle allresistance; who shall invent a flame more potent than the lightning, anda mighty din that shall surpass the thunder; and shall shiver the oceantrident, that earth-convulsing pest, the spear of Neptune. And when hehath stumbled upon this mischief, he shall be taught how great is thedifference between sovereignty and slavery. CH. Thou forsooth art boding against Jupiter the things thou wishest. PR. Things that shall come to pass, and that I desire to boot. CH. And are we to expect that any one will get the mastery of Jove? PR. Ay, and pangs too yet harder to bear than these [of mine] shall hesustain. CH. And how is it that thou art not dismayed blurting out words such asthese? PR. Why at what should I be terrified to whom it is not destined to die? CH. Yet perchance he will provide for thee affliction more grievous thaneven this. PR. Let him do it then, all is foreseen by me. CH. They that do homage to Adrasteia are wise. PR. Do homage, make thy prayer, cringe to each ruler of the day. I carefor Jove less than nothing; let him do, let him lord it for this briefspan, e'en as he list, for not long shall he rule over the gods. But nomore, for I descry Jove's courier close at hand, the menial of the newmonarch: beyond all [doubt] he has come to announce to us some news. _Enter_ MERCURY. Thee, the contriver, thee full of gall and bitterness, who sinnedagainst the gods by bestowing their honors on creatures of a day, thethief of fire, I address. The Sire commands thee to divulge of whatnuptials it is that thou art vaunting, by means of which he is to be putdown from his power. And these things, moreover, without any kind ofmystery, but each exactly as it is, do thou tell out; and entail notupon me, Prometheus, a double journey; and thou perceivest that by suchconduct Jove is not softened. PR. High sounding, i'faith, and full of haughtiness is thy speech, asbeseems a lackey of the gods. Young in years, ye are young in power;[77]and ye fancy forsooth that ye dwell in a citadel impregnable againstsorrow. Have I not known two monarchs[78] dethroned from it? And thethird that now is ruler I shall also see expelled most foully and mostquickly. Seem I to thee in aught to be dismayed at, and to crouchbeneath the new gods? Widely, ay altogether, do I come short [of suchfeelings]. But do thou hie thee back the way by which thou camest: fornot one tittle shalt thou learn of the matter on which thou questionestme. MER. Yet truly 'twas by such self-will even before now that thou didstbring thyself to such a calamitous mooring. PR. Be well assured that I would not barter my wretched plight for thydrudgery; for better do I deem it to be a lackey to this rock, than tobe born the confidential courier of father Jove. Thus is it meet torepay insult in kind. MER. Thou seemest to revel in thy present state. PR. Revel! Would that I might see my foes thus reveling, and among theseI reckon thee. MER. What dost thou impute to me also any blame for thy mischances? PR. In plain truth, I detest all the gods, as many of them as, afterhaving received benefits at my hands, are iniquitously visiting me withevils. MER. I hear thee raving with no slight disorder. PR. Disordered I would be, if disorder it be to loathe one's foes. MER. Thou wouldst be beyond endurance, wert thou in prosperity. PR. Woe's me! MER. This word of thine Jove knows not. PR. Ay, but Time as he grows old teaches all things. MER. And yet verily thou knowest not yet how to be discreet. PR. No i'faith, or I should not have held parley with thee, menial asthou art. MER. Thou seemest disposed to tell nought of the things which the Siredesires. PR. In sooth, being under obligation as I am to him, I am bound toreturn his favor. MER. Thou floutest me, forsooth, as if I were a boy. PR. Why, art thou not a boy, and yet sillier than one, if thou lookestto obtain any information from me? There is no outrage nor artifice bywhich Jupiter shall bring me to utter this, before my torturing shacklesshall have been loosened. Wherefore let his glowing lightning be hurled, and with the white feathered shower of snow, and thunderings beneath theearth let him confound and embroil the universe; for nought of thesethings shall bend me so much as even to say by whom it is doomed that heshall be put down from his sovereignty. MER. Consider now whether this determination seems availing. PR. Long since has this been considered and resolved. MER. Resolve, O vain one, resolve at length in consideration of thypresent sufferings to come to thy right senses. PR. Thou troublest me with thine admonitions as vainly as[thou mightest] a billow. [79] Never let it enter your thoughts that I, affrighted by the purpose of Jupiter, shall become womanish, and shallimportune the object whom I greatly loathe, with effeminate upliftingsof my hands, to release me from these shackles: I want much of that. MER. With all that I have said I seem to be speaking to no purpose; fornot one whit art thou melted or softened in thy heart by entreaties, butart champing the bit like a colt fresh yoked, and struggling against thereins. But on the strength of an impotent scheme art thou thus violent;for obstinacy in one not soundly wise, itself by itself availeth lessthan nothing. And mark, if thou art not persuaded by my words, what atempest and three-fold surge of ills, from which there is no escape, will come upon thee. For in the first place the Sire will shiver thiscraggy cleft with thunder and the blaze of his bolt, and will overwhelmthy body, and a clasping arm of rock shall bear thee up. And after thoushalt have passed through to its close, a long space of time, thou shaltcome back into the light; and a winged hound of Jupiter, ablood-thirsting eagle, shall ravenously mangle thy huge lacerated frame, stealing upon thee an unbidden guest, and [tarrying] all the live-longday, and shall banquet his fill on the black viands[80] of thy liver. Tosuch labors look thou for no termination, until some god shall appearas a substitute in thy pangs, and shall be willing to go both to gloomyHades, and to the murky depths around Tartarus. Wherefore advise thee, since this is no fictitious vaunt, but uttered in great earnestness; forthe divine mouth knows not how to utter falsehood, but will bring everyword to pass. But do thou look around and reflect, and never for amoment deem pertinacity better than discretion. CH. To us, indeed, Mercury seems to propose no unseasonable counsel; forhe bids thee to abandon thy recklessness, and seek out wiseconsideration. Be persuaded; for to a wise man 'tis disgraceful to err. PR. To me already well aware of it hath this fellow urged his message;but for a foe to suffer horribly at the hands of foes is no indignity. Wherefore let the doubly-pointed wreath of his fire be hurled at me, andether be torn piecemeal by thunder, and spasm of savage blasts; and letthe wind rock earth from her base, roots and all, and with stormy surgemingle in rough tide the billow of the deep and the paths of the stars;and fling my body into black Tartarus, with a whirl, in the stern eddiesof necessity. Yet by no possible means shall he visit me with death. MER. Resolutions and expressions, in truth, such as these of thine, onemay hear from maniacs. For in what point doth his fate fall short ofinsanity?[81] What doth it abate from ravings? But do ye then at anyrate, that sympathize with him in his sufferings, withdraw hencespeedily some-whither from this spot, lest the harsh bellowing of thethunder smite you with idiotcy. CH. Utter and advise me to something else, in which too thou mayestprevail upon me; for in this, be sure, thou hast intruded a proposalnot to be borne. How is it that thou urgest me to practice baseness?Along with him here I am willing to endure what is destined, for I havelearned to abhor traitors; and there is no evil which I hold in greaterabomination. MER. Well, then, bear in mind the things of which I forewarn you: and donot, when ye have been caught in the snares of Atè, throw the blame onfortune, nor ever at any time say that Jove cast you into unforeseencalamity: no indeed, but ye your ownselves: for well aware, and not on asudden, nor in ignorance, will ye be entangled by your senselessness inan impervious net of Atè. [_Exit_ MERCURY. PR. And verily in deed and no longer in word doth the earth heave, andthe roaring echo of thunder rolls bellowing by us; and deep blazingwreaths of lightning are glaring, and hurricanes whirl the dust; andblasts of all the winds are leaping forth, showing one against the othera strife of conflict gusts; and the firmament is embroiled with thedeep. [82] Such is this onslaught that is clearly coming upon me fromJove, a cause for terror. O dread majesty of my mother Earth, O etherthat diffusest thy common light, thou beholdest the wrongs I suffer. THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES. The siege of the city of Thebes, and the description of the sevenchampions of the Theban and Argive armies, The deaths of the brothersPolynices and Eteocles, the mournings over them, by their sistersAntigone and Ismene, and the public refusal of burial to the ashes ofPolynices, against which Antigone boldly protests, conclude the play. PERSONS REPRESENTED. ETEOCLES. A MESSENGER. CHORUS OF THEBAN VIRGINS. ISMENE. ANTIGONE. A HERALD. SCENE. The Acropolis of Thebes. --Compare v. 227, ed. Blomf. TIME. Early in the morning; the length of the action can scarcely befixed with absolute certainty. It certainly did not exceed twelve hours. The expedition of "the Seven" against Thebes is fixed by Sir I. Newton, B. C. 928. Cf. Of his Chronology, p. 27. Blair carries it as far back asB. C. 1225. --OLD TRANSLATOR. ETEOCLES. Citizens of Cadmus! it is fitting that he should speak thingsseasonable who has the care of affairs on the poop of a state, managingthe helm, not lulling his eyelids in slumber. For if we succeed, thegods are the cause; but if, on the other hand (which heaven forbid), mischance should befall, Eteocles alone would be much bruited throughthe city by the townsmen in strains clamorous and in wailings, of whichmay Jove prove rightly called the Averter to the city of theCadmæans. [83] And now it behooves you--both him who still falls short ofyouth in its prime, and him who in point of age has passed his youth, nurturing the ample vigor of his frame and each that is in hisprime, [84] as is best fitting--to succor the city, and the altars ofyour country's gods, so that their honors may never be obliterated; yourchildren too, and your motherland, most beloved nurse; for she, takingfully on herself the whole trouble of your rearing, nurtured you wheninfants crawling on her kindly soil, for her trusty shield-bearingcitizens, that ye might be [trusty[85]] for this service. And, for thepresent indeed, up to this day, the deity inclines in our favor; sinceto us now all this time beleaguered the war for the most part, by divineallotment, turns out well. But now, as saith the seer, the feeder[86] ofbirds, revolving in ear and thoughts, without the use of fire, theoracular birds with unerring art--he, lord of such divining powers, declares that the main Achæan assault is this night proclaimed, [87] and[that the Achæans] attempt the city. But haste ye all, both to the battlements and the gates of the towerworks; On! in full panoply throng the breastworks, and take yourstations on the platforms of the towers, and, making stand at theoutlets of the gates, be of good heart, nor be over-dismayed at therabble of the aliens; God will give a happy issue. Moreover, I have alsodispatched scouts and observers of the army, who will not, I feelassured, loiter on their way; and when I have had intelligence fromthese, I shall, in no point, be surprised by stratagem. MESSENGER. --Most gallant Eteocles! sovereign of the Cadmæans, I havecome bearing a clear account of the matters yonder, from the army; and Imyself am eye-witness of the facts. For seven chieftains, impetuousleaders of battalions, cutting a bull's throat, [88] over an iron-rimmedshield, [89] and touching with their hands the gore of the bull, by oathhave called to witness[90] Mars, Enyo, and Terror, that delights inbloodshed, that either having wrought the demolition of our city theywill make havoc of the town of the Cadmæans, or having fallen will steepthis land of ours in gore. Memorials too of themselves, to their parentsat home, were they with their hands hanging in festoons[91] at the carof Adrastus, dropping a tear, but no sound of complaint passed theirlips. [92] For their iron-hearted spirit glowing with valor was panting, as of lions that glare battle. And the report of these my tidings is notretarded by sluggishness. But I left them in the very act of castinglots, that so each of them, obtaining his post by lot, might lead on hisbattalion to our gates. Wherefore do thou with all speed marshal at theoutlets of the gates the bravest men, the chosen of our city; foralready the host of Argives hard at hand armed cap-à-pié is in motion, is speeding onward, and white foam is staining the plain with itsdrippings from the lungs of their chargers. Do thou then, like theclever helmsman of a vessel, fence[93] our city before the breath ofMars burst like a hurricane upon it, for the main-land billow of theirhost is roaring. And for these measures do thou seize the very earliestopportunity; for the sequel I will keep my eye a faithful watch by day, and thou, knowing from the clearness of my detail the movements of thosewithout, shalt be unscathed. [_Exit_ MESSENGER. ET. O Jupiter! and earth! and ye tutelary deities! and thou Curse, themighty Erinnys of my sire! do not, I pray, uproot with utter destructionfrom its very base, a prey to foemen, our city, which utters thelanguage of Greece, and our native dwellings. [94] Grant that they maynever hold the free land and city of Cadmus in a yoke of slavery; but beye our strength--nay, I trust that I am urging our common interests, fora state that is in prosperity honors the divinities. [95] [_Exit_ ETEOCLES. CHORUS. [96] I wail over our fearful, mighty woes! the army is let loose, having quitted its camp, a mighty mounted host is streaming hitherwardin advance;[97] the dust appearing high in the air convinces me, avoiceless, clear, true messenger; the noise of the clatter of theirhoofs upon the plain, [98] reaching even to our couches, approaches myears, is wafted on, and is rumbling like a resistless torrent lashingthe mountain-side. Alas! alas! oh gods and goddesses, avert the risinghorror; the white-bucklered[99] well-appointed host is rushing on with ashout on the other side our walls, speeding its way to the city. Whothen will rescue us, who then of gods and goddesses will aid us? Shall Ithen prostrate myself before the statues of the divinities? Oh yeblessed beings, seated on your glorious thrones, 'tis high time for usto cling to your statues--why do we deeply sighing delay? Hear ye, orhear ye not, the clash of bucklers? When, if not now, shall we setabout the orison of the peplus[100] and chaplets? I perceive a din, acrash of no single spear. What wilt thou do? wilt thou, O Mars, ancientguardian of our soil, abandon thine own land? God of the golden helm, look upon, look upon the city which once thou didst hold well-beloved. Tutelary gods of our country, behold, [101] behold this train of virginssuppliant to escape from slavery, [102] for around our city a surge ofmen with waving crests is rippling, stirred by the blasts of Mars. But, O Jove, sire all-perfect! avert thoroughly from us capture by thefoemen; for Argives are encircling the fortress of Cadmus; and I feel adread of martial arms, and the bits which are fastened through the jawsof their horses are knelling slaughter. And seven leaders of the host, conspicuous in their spear-proof harness, are taking their stand at ourseventh gate, [103] assigned their posts by lot. Do thou too, O Jove-bornpower that delightest in battle, Pallas, become a savior to our city;and thou, equestrian monarch, sovereign of the main, with thyfish-smiting trident, O Neptune, grant a deliverance, a deliverance fromour terrors. Do thou too, O Mars, alas! alas! guard the city which isnamed after Cadmus, and manifestly show thy care--and thou, Venus, theoriginal mother of our race, avert [these ills]--for from thy blood arewe sprung; calling on thee with heavenward orisons do we approach thee. And thou, Lycæan king, be thou fierce as a wolf[104] to the hostilearmy, [moved] by the voice of our sighs. [105] Thou too, virgin-daughterof Latona, deftly adorn thyself with thy bow, O beloved Diana. Ah! ah!ah! I hear the rumbling of cars around the city, O revered Juno, thenaves of the heavy-laden axles creak, the air is maddened with thewhizzing of javelins--what is our city undergoing? What will become ofit? To what point is the deity conducting the issue?[106] ah! ah! Ashower of stones too from their slingers is coming over our battlements. O beloved Apollo! there is the clash of brass-rimmed shields at thegates, and the just issue in battle must be decided by arms according tothe disposal of Jove. [107] And thou Onca, [108] immortal queen, thatdwellest in front of our city, rescue thy seven-gated seat. O gods, all-potent to save, O ye gods and goddesses, perfect guardians of thetowers of this land, abandon not our war-wasted city to an army ofaliens. Listen to these virgins, listen to our all-just prayers, as ismost right, to the orisons of virgins which are offered without-stretched hands. O beloved divinities, hovering around our city asits deliverers, show how ye love it; give heed to our public rituals, and when ye give heed to them succor us, and be ye truly mindful, Ibeseech ye, of the rites of our city which abound in sacrifices. _Re-enter_ ETEOCLES. Intolerable creatures! is this, I ask you, best and salutary for ourcity, and an encouragement to this beleagured force, for you to fallbefore the statues of our tutelary gods, to shriek, to yell--O yeabominations of the wise. Neither in woes nor in welcome prosperity mayI be associated with womankind; for when woman prevails, her audacity ismore than one can live with; and when she is affrighted, she is a stillgreater mischief to her home and city. Even now, having brought uponyour countrymen this pell-mell flight, ye have, by your outcries, spreaddastard cowardice, and ye are serving, as best ye may, the interests ofthose without, but we within our walls are suffering capture at our ownhands; such blessings will you have if you live along with women. Wherefore if any one give not ear to my authority, be it man or woman, or other between [these names[109]], the fatal pebble shall decideagainst him, and by no means shall he escape the doom of stoning at thehand of the populace. For what passeth without is a man's concern, letnot woman offer advice--but remaining within do thou occasion nomischief. Heard'st thou, or heard'st thou not, or am I speaking to adeaf woman? CH. O dear son of OEdipus, I felt terror when I heard the din from theclatter of the cars, when the wheel-whirling naves rattled, and [thedin] of the fire-wrought bits, the rudders[110] of the horses, passingthrough their mouths that know no rest. ET. What then? does the mariner who flees from the stern to theprow[111] find means of escape, when his bark is laboring against thebillow of the ocean? CH. No; but I came in haste to the ancient statues of the divinities, trusting in the gods, when there was a pattering at our gates ofdestructive sleet showering down, even then I was carried away by terrorto offer my supplications to the Immortals, that they would extend theirprotection over the city. ET. Pray that our fortification may resist the hostile spear. CH. Shall not this, then, be at the disposal of the gods? ET. Ay, but 'tis said that the gods of the captured city abandon it. CH. At no time during my life may this conclave of gods abandon us:never may I behold our city overrun, and an army firing it with hostileflame. ET. Do not thou, invoking the gods, take ill counsel; for subordination, woman, is the mother of saving success; so the adage runs. CH. But the gods have a power superior still, and oft in adversity doesthis raise the helpless out of severe calamity, when clouds areoverhanging his brow. ET. It is the business of men, to present victims and offerings ofworship to the gods, when foemen are making an attempt: 'tis thine onthe other hand to hold thy peace and abide within doors. CH. 'Tis by the blessing of the gods that we inhabit a city unconquered, and that our fortification is proof against the multitude of ourenemies. What Nemesis can feel offended at this? ET. I am not offended that ye should honor the race of the gods; butthat thou mayest not render the citizens faint-hearted, keep quiet andyield not to excessive terrors. CH. When I heard the sudden din, I came, on the very instant, indistracting panic to this Acropolis, a hallowed seat. ET. Do not now, if ye hear of the dying or the wounded, eagerly receivethem with shrieks; for with this slaughter of mortals is Mars fed. CH. And I do in truth hear the snortings of the horses. ET. Do not now, when thou hearest them, hear too distinctly. CH. Our city groans from the ground, as though the foes were hemming herin. ET. Is it not then enough that I take measures for this? CH. I fear! for the battering at the gates increases. ET. Wilt thou not be silent? Say nought of this kind in the city. CH. O associate band [of gods], abandon not our towers. ET. Can not ye endure it in silence, and confusion to ye? CH. Gods of my city! let me not meet with slavery. ET. Thou thyself art making a slave both of me, of thyself, and of thecity. CH. O all-potent Jove! turn the shaft against our foes. ET. O Jove! what a race hast thou made women! CH. Just as wretched as men when their city is taken. ET. Again thou art yelping as thou claspest the statues! CH. Yes, for in my panic terror hurries away my tongue. ET. Would to heaven that you would grant me a trifling favor on myrequesting it. CH. Tell me as quickly as you can, and I shall know at once. ET. Hold thy peace, wretched woman, alarm not thy friends. CH. I hold my peace--with others I will suffer what is destined. ET. I prefer this expression of thine rather than thy former words; andmoreover, coming forth from the statues, pray thou for the best--thatthe gods may be our allies. And after thou hast listened to my prayers, then do thou raise the sacred auspicious shout of the Pæan, the Grecianrite of sacrificial acclamation, an encouragement to thy friends thatremoves the fear of the foe. And I, to the tutelary gods of our land, both those who haunt the plains, and those who watch over the forum, andto the fountains of Dirce, and I speak not without those of theIsmenus, [112] if things turn out well and our city is preserved, do thusmake my vows that we, dyeing the altars of the gods with the blood ofsheep, offering bulls to the gods, will deposit trophies, and vestmentsof our enemies, spear-won spoils of the foe, in their hallowed abodes. Offer thou prayers like these to the gods, not with a number of sighs, nor with foolish and wild sobbings; for not one whit the more wilt thouescape Destiny. But I too, forsooth, [113] will go and marshal at theseven outlets of our walls, six men, with myself for a seventh, antagonists to our foes in gallant plight, before both urgent messengersand quickly-bruited tidings arrive, and inflame us by the crisis. [_Exit_ ETEOCLES. CH. I attend, but through terror my heart sleeps not, and cares thatpress close upon my heart keep my dread alive, because of the host thathems our walls[114] around; like as a dove, an all-attentive nurse, fears, on behalf of her brood, serpents, evil intruders into her nest. For some are advancing against the towers in all their numbers, in alltheir array; (what will become of me?) and others are launching the vastrugged stone at the citizens, who are assailed on all sides. By everymeans, O ye Jove-descended gods! rescue the city and the army thatspring from Cadmus. What better plain of land will ye take in exchangeto yourselves than this, after ye have abandoned to our enemies thefertile land, and Dirce's water best fed of all the streams thatearth-encircling Neptune sends forth, and the daughters of Tethys?Wherefore, O tutelary gods of the city! having hurled on those withoutthe towers the calamity that slaughters men, and casts away shields, achieve glory for these citizens, and be your statues placed on noblesites, as deliverers of our city, [115] through our entreaties fraughtwith shrill groanings. For sad it is to send prematurely to destructionan ancient city, a prey of slavery to the spear, ingloriously overthrownin crumbling ashes by an Achæan according to the will of heaven; and forits women to be dragged away captives, alas! alas! both the young andthe aged, like horses by their hair, while their vestments are rentabout their persons. And the emptied city cries aloud, while its bootyis wasted amid confused clamors; verily I fearfully forbode heavycalamities. And a mournful thing it is for [maidens] justmarriageable, [116] before the celebration of rites for culling the freshflower of their virginity, to have to traverse a hateful journey fromtheir homes. What? I pronounce that the dead fares better than these;for full many are the calamities, alas! alas! which a city undergoeswhen it has been reduced. One drags another, [117] slaughters, and toparts he sets fire--the whole city is defiled with smoke, and ravingMars that tramples down the nations, violating piety, inspires them. Throughout the town are uproars, against the city rises the turretedcircumvallation, [118] and man is slain by man with the spear. And thecries of children at the breast all bloody resound, and there is rapinesister of pell-mell confusion. Pillager meets pillager, and theempty-handed shouts to the empty-handed, wishing to have a partner, greedy for a portion that shall be neither less nor equal. What of thesethings can speech picture? Fruits of every possible kind strewn[119]upon the ground occasion sorrow, and dismal is the face of thestewards. And full many a gift of earth is swept along in the worthlessstreams, in undistinguished medley. And young female slaves have newsorrows, a foe being superior[120] and fortunate as to their wretchedcaptive couch, so that they hope for life's gloomy close to come, aguardian against their all-mournful sorrows. SEMI-CH. The scout, methinks, my friends, is bringing us some freshtidings from the army, urging in haste the forwarding axles[121] of hisfeet. SEMI-CH. Ay, and in very truth, here comes our prince, son of OEdipus, very opportunely for learning the messenger's report--and haste does notallow him to make equal footsteps. [122] [_Re-enter_ MESSENGER _and_ ETEOCLES _from different sides_. MES. I would fain tell, for I know them well, the arrangements of ouradversaries, and how each has obtained his lot at our gate. Tydeus nowfor some time has been raging hard by the gates of Proetus; but theseer allows him not to cross the stream of Ismenus, for the sacrificesare not auspicious. So Tydeus, raving and greedy for the fight, roarslike a serpent in its hissings beneath the noontide heat, and he smitesthe sage seer, son of Oïcleus, with a taunt, [saying] that he iscrouching to both Death and Battle out of cowardice. Shouting out suchwords as these, he shakes there shadowy crests, the hairy honors of hishelm, while beneath his buckler bells cast in brass are shrilly pealingterror: on his buckler too he has this arrogant device--a gleaming skytricked out with stars, and in the centre of the shield a brilliant fullmoon is conspicuous, most august of the heavenly bodies, the eye ofnight. Chafing thus in his vaunting harness, he roars beside the bank ofthe river, enamored of conflict, like a steed champing his bit withrage, that rushes forth when he hears the voice of the trumpet. [123]Whom wilt thou marshal against this [foe]? Who, when the fastenings giveway, is fit to be intrusted with the defense of the gate of Proetus? ET. At no possible array of a man should I tremble; and blazonry has nopower of inflicting wounds, and crests and bell bite not[124] withoutthe spear. And for this night which thou tellest me is sparkling on hisbuckler with the stars of heaven, it may perchance be a prophet inconceit;[125] for if night shall settle on his eyes as he is dying, verily this vaunting device would correctly and justly answer to itsname, and he himself will have the insolence ominous against himself. But against Tydeus will I marshal this wary son of Astacus, as defenderof the portals, full nobly born, and one that reverences the throne ofModesty, and detests too haughty language, for he is wont to be slow atbase acts, but no dastard. And from the sown heroes whom Mars spared isMelanippus sprung a scion, and he is thoroughly a native. But the eventMars with his dice will decide. And justice, his near kinswoman, makeshim her champion, [126] that he may ward off the foeman's spear from themother that bare him. CH. Now may the gods grant unto our champion to be successful, sincewith justice[127] does he speed forth in defense of the city; but Ishudder to behold the sanguinary fate of those who perish in behalf oftheir friends. MES. To him may the gods so grant success. But Capaneus has by lotobtained his station against the Electran gate. This is a giant, greaterthan the other aforementioned, and his vaunt savors not of humanity; buthe threatens horrors against our towers, which may fortune not bring topass! for he declares, that whether the god is willing or unwilling, hewill make havoc of our city, and that not the Wrath[128] of Jove, dashing down upon the plain, should stop him. And he is wont to compareboth the lightnings and the thunder-bolts to the heat of noontide. Hehas a bearing too, a naked man bearing fire, and there gleams a torchwith which his hands are armed;[129] and, in letters of gold, he isuttering, I WILL BURN THE CITY. Against a man such as this do thousend[130]----. Who will engage with him? Who will abide his vaunting andnot tremble? ET. And in this case[131] also one advantage is gained upon another. Ofthe vain conceits of man in sooth the tongue of truth becomes accuser. But Capaneus is menacing, prepared for action, dishonoring the gods, andpracticing his tongue in vain exultation; mortal as he is, he is sendingloud-swelling words into heaven to the ears of Jove. But I trust that, as he well deserves, the fire-bearing thunder-bolt will with justicecome upon him, in no wise likened to the noontide warmth of the sun. Yetagainst him, albeit he is a very violent blusterer, is a hero marshaled, fiery in his spirit, stout Polyphontes, a trusty guard by the favor ofDiana our protectress, and of the other gods. Mention another who hathhad his station fixed at another of our gates. CH. May he perish[132] who proudly vaunts against our city, and may thethunder-bolt check him before that he bursts into my abode, or ever, with his insolent spear force us away from our maiden dwellings. MES. And verily I will mention him that hath next had his post allottedagainst our gates: for to Eteoclus, third in order, hath the third lotleapt from the inverted helm of glittering brass, for him to advance hisbattalion against the gates of Neïs; and he is wheeling his steedsfuming in their trappings, eager to dash forward against the gates. Andtheir snaffles ring, in barbarian fashion, filled with the breath oftheir snorting nostrils. His buckler, too, hath been blazoned in nopaltry style, but a man in armor is treading the steps of a ladder tohis foemen's tower, seeking to storm it. And this man, in a combinationof letters, is shouting, how that not even Mars should force him fromthe bulwarks. Do thou send also to this man a worthy champion to wardoff from this city the servile yoke. ET. I will send this man forthwith, and may it be with good fortune; andverily he is sent, bearing his boast in deed, [133] Megareus, theoffspring of Creon, of the race of the sown;[134] who will go forth fromthe gates not a whit terrified at the noise of the mad snortings of thehorses; but, either by his fall will fully pay the debt of his nurtureto the land, or, having taken two men[135] and the city on the shield, will garnish with the spoils the house of his father. Vaunt thee ofanother, and spare me not the recital. CH. I pray that this side may succeed, O champion of my dwellings! andthat with them it may go ill; and as they, with frenzied mind, utterexceedingly proud vaunts against our city, so may Jove the avengerregard them in his wrath. MES. Another, the fourth, who occupies the adjoining gates of OncaMinerva, stands hard by with a shout, the shape and mighty mould ofHippomedon; and I shuddered at him as he whirled the immense orb, I meanthe circumference of his buckler--I will not deny it. And assuredly itwas not any mean artificer in heraldry who produced this work upon hisbuckler, a Typhon, darting forth through his fire-breathing mouth darksmoke, the quivering sister of fire, and the circular cavity of thehollow-bellied shield hath been made farther solid with coils ofserpents. He himself, too, hath raised the war-cry; and, possessed byMars, raves for the onslaught, like a Thyiad, [136] glaring terror. Wellmust we guard against the attack of such a man as this, for Terror isalready vaunting himself hard by our gates. ET. In the first place, this Onca Pallas, who dwells in our suburbs, living near the gates, detesting the insolence of the man, will drivehim off, as a noxious serpent from her young. And Hyperbius, worthy sonof OEnops, hath been chosen to oppose him, man to man, willing toessay his destiny in the crisis of fortune; he is open to censureneither in form, nor in spirit, nor in array of arm: but Mercury hathmatched them fairly; for hostile is the man to the man with whom he willhave to combat, and on their bucklers will they bring into conflicthostile gods; for the one hath fire-breathing Typhon, and on the bucklerof Hyperbius father Jove is seated firm, flashing, with his bolt in hishand; and never yet did any one know of Jove being by any chancevanquished. [137] Such in good sooth is the friendship of thedivinities: we are on the side of the victors, but they on that of theconquered, if at least Jove be mightier in battle than Typhon. Wherefore'tis probable that the combatants will fare accordingly; and toHyperbius, in accordance with its blazonry, may Jove that is on hisshield become a savior. CH. I feel confident that he who hath upon his shield the adversary ofJove, the hateful form of the subterranean fiend, a semblance hatefulboth to mortals and the everliving gods, will have to leave his headbefore our gates. MES. May such be the issue! But, farthermore, I mention the fifth, marshaled at the fifth gate, that of Boreas, by the very tomb ofJove-born Amphion. And he makes oath by the spear[138] which he grasps, daring to revere it more than a god, and more dearly than his eyes, [139]that verily he will make havoc of the city of the Cadmæans in spite ofJove: thus says the fair-faced scion of a mountain-dwelling mother, astripling hero, and the down is just making its way through his cheeks, in the spring of his prime, thick sprouting hair. And he takes his post, having a ruthless spirit, not answering to his maidenly name, [140] and asavage aspect. Yet not without his vaunt does he take stand against ourgates, for on his brazen-forged shield the rounded bulwark of his body, he was wielding the reproach of our city, the Sphinx of ruthless mawaffixed by means of studs, a gleaming embossed form; and under her sheholds a man, one of the Cadmæans, so that against this man[141] mostshafts are hurled. And he, a youth, Parthenopæus an Arcadian, seems tohave come to fight in no short measure, [142] and not to disgrace thelength of way that he has traversed; for this man, such as he is, is asojourner, and, by way of fully repaying Argos for the goodly nurtureshe has given him, he utters against these towers menaces, which may thedeity not fulfill. ET. O may they receive from the gods the things which they are purposingin those very unhallowed vaunts! Assuredly they would perish mostmiserably in utter destruction. But there is [provided] for this manalso, the Arcadian of whom you speak, a man that is no braggart, but hishand discerns what should be done, Actor, brother of the oneaforementioned, who will not allow either a tongue, without deeds, streaming within our gates, to aggravate mischiefs, nor him to make hisway within who bears upon his hostile buckler the image of the wildbeast, most odious monster, which from the outside shall find fault withhim who bears it within, when it meets with a thick battering under thecity. So, please the gods, may I be speaking the truth. CH. The tale pierces my bosom, the locks of my hair stand erect, when Ihear of the big words of these proudly vaunting impious men. Oh!would that the gods would destroy them in the land. MES. I will tell of the sixth, a man most prudent, and in valor thebest, the seer, the mighty Amphiaraus; for he, having been marshaledagainst the gate of Homolöis, reviles mighty Tydeus full oft withreproaches, as the homicide, the troubler of the state, chief teacher ofthe mischiefs of Argos, the summoner of Erinnys, minister of slaughter, and adviser of these mischiefs to Adrastus. Then again going up[143] tothy brother, the mighty Polynices, he casts his eye aloft, and, at last, reproachfully dividing his name [into syllables, [144]] he calls to him:and through his mouth he gives utterance to this speech--"Verily such adeed is well-pleasing to the gods, and glorious to hear of and to tellin after times, that you are making havoc of your paternal city, and itsnative gods, having brought into it a foreign armament. And what Justiceshall staunch the fountain of thy mother's tears? "And how can thy father-land, after having been taken by the spearthrough thy means, ever be an ally to thee? I, for my part, in verytruth shall fatten this soil, seer as I am, buried beneath a hostileearth. Let us to the battle, I look not for a dishonorable fall. " Thusspake the seer, wielding a fair-orbed shield, all of brass; but nodevice was on its circle--for he wishes not to seem but to be righteous, reaping fruit from a deep furrow in his mind, from which sprout forthhis goodly counsels. Against this champion I advise that thou sendantagonists, both wise and good. A dread adversary is he that reveresthe gods. ET. Alas! for the omen[145] that associates a righteous man with theimpious! Indeed in every matter, nothing is worse than evilfellowship--the field of infatuation has death for its fruits. [146] Forwhether it be that a pious man hath embarked in a vessel along withviolent sailors, and some villany, he perishes with the race of menabhorred of heaven; or, being righteous, and having rightly fallen intothe same toils with his countrymen, violators of hospitality, andunmindful of the gods, he is beaten down, smitten with the scourge ofthe deity, which falls alike on all. Now this seer, I mean the son ofOïcleus, a moderate, just, good, and pious man, a mighty prophet, associated with unholy bold-mouthed men, in spite of his [better]judgment, when they made their long march, by the favor of Jove, shallbe drawn along with them to go to the distant city. [147] I fancy, indeed, that he will not make an attack on our gates, not as wantingspirit, nor from cowardice of disposition, but he knows that it is hisdoom to fall in battle, if there is to be any fruit in the oracles ofApollo: 'tis his wont too to hold his peace, or to speak what isseasonable. Nevertheless against him we will marshal a man, mightyLasthenes, a porter surly to strangers, and who bears an aged mind, buta youthful form; quick is his eye, and he is not slow of hand to snatchhis spear made naked from his left hand. [148] But for mortals to succeedis a boon of the deity. CH. O ye gods, give ear to our righteous supplications, and graciouslybring it to pass that our city may be successful, while ye turn thehorrors wrought by the spear upon the invaders of our country; and mayJove, having flung them [to a distance] from our towers, slay them withhis thunder-bolt. MES. Now will I mention this the seventh, against the seventh gate, thine own brother--what calamities too he imprecates and prays foragainst our city; that, he having scaled the towers, and beenproclaimed[149] to the land, after having shouted out the pæan oftriumph at the capture, may engage with thee; and, having slain thee, may die beside thee, or avenge himself on thee alive, that dishonored, that banished him, [150] by exile after the very same manner. This doesmighty Polynices clamor, and he summons the gods of his race andfatherland to regard his supplications. He has, moreover, anewly-constructed shield, well suited [to his arm] and a double devicewrought upon it. For a woman is leading on a mailed warrior, forged outof brass, conducting him decorously; and so she professes to be Justice, as the inscription tells: I WILL BRING BACK THIS MAN, AND HE SHALL HAVETHE CITY OF HIS FATHERS, AND A DWELLING IN THE PALACE. Such are theirdevices; and do thou thyself now determine whom it is that thou thinkestproper to send: since never at any time shalt thou censure me for mytidings; but do thou thyself determine the management of the vessel ofthe state. ET. O heaven-frenzied, and great abomination of the gods! Oh! for ourrace of OEdipus, worthy of all mourning--Alas for me! now verily arethe curses of my sire coming to an accomplishment. But it becomes me notto weep or wail, lest birth be given to a lament yet more intolerable. But to Polynices, that well deserves his name, I say, soon shall we knowwhat issue his blazonry will have; whether letters wrought in gold, vainly vaunting on his buckler, along with frenzy of soul will restorehim. If indeed Justice, the virgin daughter of Jove, attended on hisactions or his thoughts, perchance this might be. But neither when heescape the darkness of the womb, nor in his infancy, nor ever in hisboyhood, nor in the gathering of the hair on his chin, did Justice lookon him, or deem him worthy her regards: nor truly do I suppose that shewill now take her stand near to him, in his ill-omened possession of hisfather-land. Truly she would then in all reason be falsely calledJustice, were she to consort with a man all-daring in his soul. Trustingin this I will go, and face him in person. Who else could do so withbetter right? Leader against leader, brother against brother, foemanwith foeman, shall I take my stand. Bring me with all speed my greaves, my spear, and my armor of defense against the stones. [_Exit_ MESSENGER. CH. Do not, O dearest of men, son of OEdipus, become in wrath like tohim against whom thou hast most bitterly spoken. Enough it is thatCadmæans come to the encounter with Argives. For such bloodshed admitsof expiation. But the death of own brothers thus mutually wrought bytheir own hands--of this pollution there is no decay. ET. If any one receives evil without disgrace, be it so; for the onlyadvantage is among the dead: but of evil and disgraceful things, thoucanst not tell me honor. CH. Why art thou eager, my son? let not Atè, full of wrath, raging withthe spear, hurry thee away--but banish the first impulse of [evil]passion. ET. Since the deity with all power urges on the matter, let the wholerace of Laius, abhorred by Phoebus, having received for its portionthe wave of Cocytus, drift down with the wind. CH. So fierce a biting lust for unlawful blood hurries thee on toperpetrate the shedding of a man's blood, of which the fruit isbitter. [151] ET. Ay, for the hateful curse of my dear father, consummated, sits hardbeside me with dry tearless eyes, telling me that profit comes before myafter doom. [152] CH. But do not accelerate it; thou wilt not be called dastardly if thouhonorably preservest thy life--and Erinnys, [153] with her murkytempest, enters not the dwelling where the gods receive a sacrifice fromthe hands [of the inmates]. ET. By the gods, indeed, we have now for some time been in a mannerneglected, and the pleasure which arises from our destruction iswelcomed by them; why should we any longer fawn[154] upon our deadlydoom? CH. Do so now, while it is in thy power; since the demon, that may alterwith a distant shifting of his temper, will perchance come with agentler air; but now he still rages. ET. Ay, for the curses of OEdipus have raged beyond all bounds; andtoo true were my visions of phantoms seen in my slumbers, dividers of myfather's wealth. [155] CH. Yield thee to women, albeit that thou lovest them not. ET. Say ye then what one may allow you; but it must not be at length. CH. Go not thou on in this way to the seventh gate. ET. Whetted as I am, thou wilt not blunt me by argument. CH. Yet god, at all events, honors an inglorious victory. ET. It ill becomes a warrior to acquiesce in this advice. CH. What! wilt thou shed the blood of thine own brother? ET. By heaven's leave, he shall not elude destruction. [_Exit_ ETEOCLES. CH. I shudder with dread that the power that lays waste this house, notlike the gods, the all-true, the evil-boding Erinnys summoned by thecurses of the father, is bringing to a consummation the wrathful cursesof distracted OEdipus. [156] 'Tis this quarrel, fatal to his sons, thatarouses her. And the Chalybian stranger, emigrant from Scythia, isapportioning their shares, a fell divider of possessions, thestern-hearted steel, [157] allotting them land to occupy, just as muchas it may be theirs to possess when dead, bereft of their largedomains. [158] When they shall have fallen, slain by each other's handsin mutual slaughter, and the dust of the ground shall have drunk up theblack-clotted blood of murder, who will furnish expiation? who willpurify them? Alas for the fresh troubles mingled with the ancienthorrors of this family! for I speak of the ancient transgression withits speedy punishment; yet it abides unto the third generation; sinceLaïus, in spite of Apollo, who had thrice declared, in the centraloracles of Pytho, that, dying without issue, he would save thestate, [159] did, notwithstanding, overcome by his friends, in hisinfatuation beget his own destruction, the parricide OEdipus, whodared to plant in an unhallowed field, where he had been reared, abloody root. --'Twas frenzy linked the distracted pair; and as it were, asea of troubles brings on one billow that subsides, and rears anothertriply cloven, which too dashes about the stern of our state. Butbetween [it and us] there stretches a fence at a small interval, a towerin width alone. [160] And I fear lest the city should be overcome alongwith its princes. For the execrations, that were uttered long ago, arefinding their accomplishment: bitter is the settlement, and deadlythings in their consummation pass not away. The wealth of enterprisingmerchants, [161] too thickly stowed, brings with it a casting overboardfrom the stern. For whom of mortals did the gods, and his fellow-inmatesin the city, and the many lives of herding men, [162] admire so much asthey then honored OEdipus, who had banished from the realm the banefulpest that made men her prey. But when he unhappy was apprised of hiswretched marriage, despairing in his sorrow, with frenzied heart, heperpetrated a two-fold horror; he deprived himself with parricidal handof the eyes that were more precious than his children. And indignantbecause of his scanty supply of food, [163] he sent upon his sons, alas!alas! a curse horrible in utterance, even that they should some time orother share his substance between them with sword-wielding hand; and nowI tremble lest the swift Erinnys should be on the point of fulfillingthat prayer. _Re-enter_ MESSENGER. Be of good cheer, maidens that have been nurtured by your mothers. [164]This city hath escaped the yoke of servitude; the vauntings of ourmighty foes have fallen; and our city is calm, and hath not admitted aleak from the many buffets of the surge; our fortification too standsproof, and we have fenced our gates with champions fightingsingle-handed, and bringing surety; for the most part, at six of ourgates, it is well; but the seventh, the revered lord of the seventh, sovereign Apollo, chose for himself, bringing to a consummation theancient indiscretions of Laïus. CH. And what new event is happening to our city? MES. These men have fallen by hands that dealt mutual slaughter. [165]-- CH. Who? What is it thou sayest! I am distracted with terror at thytidings. MES. Now be calm and listen, the race of OEdipus-- CH. Alas for me wretched! I am a prophetess of horrors. MES. Stretched in the dust are they beyond all dispute. CH. Came they even to that? bitter then are thy tidings, yet speak them. MES. Even thus [too surely] were they destroyed by brotherly hands. CH. Even thus was the demon at once impartial to both. MES. And he himself, to be sure of this, is cutting off the ill-fatedrace. CH. Over such events one may both rejoice and weep--[rejoice] at thesuccess of our city--but [mourn because][166] our princes, the twogenerals, have portioned out the whole possession of their substancewith the hammer-wrought Scythian steel, and they will possess of landjust as much as they receive at their burial, carried off according tothe unhappy imprecations of their sire. MES. The city is rescued, but earth hath drank the blood of the brotherprinces through their slaughter of each other. [_Exit_ MESSENGER. [167] CH. Oh mighty Jove! and tutelary divinities of our city! ye that do invery deed protect these towers of Cadmus, am I to rejoice and raise ajoyous hymn to the savior of our city, the averter of mischief, or shallI bewail the miserable and ill-fated childless[168] commanders, who, invery truth, correctly, according to their name, [169] full of rancor, have perished in impious purpose? Oh dark and fatal curse of the raceand of OEdipus, what horrible chill is this that is falling upon myheart?[170] I, like a Thyiad, have framed a dirge for the tomb, hearingof the dead, dabbled in blood, that perished haplessly--verily thismeeting of spears was ill-omened. The imprecation of the father hathtaken full effect, and hath not failed: and the unbelieving schemes ofLaïus have lasted even until now; and care is through our city, and thedivine declarations lose not their edge--Alas! worthy of many a sigh, yehave accomplished this horror surpassing credence; and lamentablesufferings have come indeed. This is self-evident, the tale of themessenger is before my eyes--Double are our sorrows, double are thehorrors of them that have fallen by mutual slaughter; doubly shared arethese consummated sufferings. What shall I say? What, but that of acertainty troubles on troubles are constant inmates of this house? But, my friends, ply the speeding stroke of your hands about your heads, before the gale of sighs, which ever wafts on its passage the bark, onwhich no sighs are heard, with sable sails, the freighted with the dead, untrodden for Apollo, the sunless, across Acheron, and to the invisibleall-receiving shore. [171] But [enough]! for here are coming to this bitter office both Antigoneand Ismene. I am assured beyond all doubt that they will send forth afitting wail from their lovely deep-cinctured bosoms. And right it isthat we, before the sound of their wailing reach us, both ejaculate thedismal-sounding chaunt of Erinnys, and sing a hateful pæan to Pluto. Alas! ye that are the most hapless in your sisterhood of all women thatfling the zone around their robes, I weep, I mourn, and there is noguile about so as not to be truly wailing from my very soul. SEMI-CHORUS. Alas! alas! ye frantic youths, distrustful of friends, andunsubdued by troubles, have wretched seized on your paternal dwellingwith the spear. SEMI-CH. Wretched in sooth were they who found a wretched death to thebane of their houses. SEMI-CH. Alas! alas! ye that overthrew the walls of your palace, andhaving cast an eye on bitter monarchy, how have ye now settled yourclaims with the steel? SEMI-CH. And too truly hath awful Erinnys brought [the curses] of theirfather OEdipus to a consummation. SEMI-CH. Smitten through your left--Smitten in very truth, and throughsides that sprung from a common womb. SEMI-CH. Alas for them, wretched! Alas! for the imprecations of deathwhich avenged murder by murder. SEMI-CH. Thou speakest of the stroke that pierced through and throughthose that were smitten in their houses and in their persons withspeechless rage, and the doom of discord brought upon them by the cursesof their father. SEMI-CH. And moreover, sighing pervades the city, the towers sigh, theland that loved her heroes sighs; and for posterity remains thesubstance by reason of which, by reason of which, [172] contention cameupon them whom evil destiny, and the issue of death. SEMI-CH. In the fierceness of their hearts they divided between themthe possessions, so as to have an equal share; but the arbiter[173]escapes not censure from their friends, and joyless was their warfare. SEMI-CH. Smitten by the steel, here they lie; and smitten by thesteel[174] there await them--one may perchance ask what?--theinheritance of the tombs of their fathers. SEMI-CH. From the house the piercing groan sends forth its sound loudlyover them, mourning with a sorrow sufferings as o'er its own, melancholy, a foe to mirth, sincerely weeping from the very soul, whichis worn down while I wail for these two princes. SEMI-CH. We may say too of these happy men that they both wrought manymischiefs to their countrymen, and to the ranks of all the strangers, that perished in great numbers in battle. SEMI-CH. Ill-fated was she that bare them before all women, as many asare mothers of children. Having taken to herself her own son for ahusband, she brought forth these, and they have ended their existencethus by fraternal hands that dealt mutual slaughter. SEMI-CH. Fraternal in very truth! and utterly undone were they by asevering in no wise amicable, by frenzied strife at the consummation oftheir feud. SEMI-CH. But their emnity is terminated; and in the reeking earth istheir life-blood mingled, and truly are they of the same blood. A bitterarbiter of strife is the stranger from beyond the sea, the whetted steelthat bounded forth from the fire; and bitter is the horrible distributerof their substance, Mars, who hath brought the curse of their fathertruly to its consummation. SEMI-CH. Hapless youths! They have obtained their portion ofheaven-awarded woes, and beneath their bodies shall be a fathomlesswealth of earth. [175] Alas! ye that have made your houses bloom withmany troubles! And at its fall these Curses raised the shout of triumphin shrill strain, when the race had been put to flight in total rout; atrophy of Atè has been reared at the gate at which they smote eachother, and, having overcome both, the demon rested. _Enter_ ANTIGONE _and_ ISMENE. ANT. When wounded thou didst wound again. [176] ISM. And thou, having dealt death, didst perish. ANT. With the spear thou didst slay. ISM. By the spear thou didst fall. ANT. Wretched in thy deeds! ISM. Wretched in thy sufferings! ANT. Let tears arise. ISM. Let groans resound. ANT. Having slain, he shall lie prostrate. Alas! alas! my soul ismaddening with sighs. ISM. And my heart mourns within me. ANT. Alas! thou that art worthy of all lamentation! ISM. And thou again also utterly wretched. ANT. By a friend didst thou fall. ISM. And a friend didst thou slay. ANT. Double horrors to tell of. ISM. Double horrors to behold! ANT. These horrors are near akin to such sorrows. ISM. And we their sisters here are near to our brothers. CH. Alas! thou Destiny, awarder of bitterness, wretched! and thou dreadshade of OEdipus! and dark Erinnys! verily art thou great in might. ANT. Alas! alas! sufferings dismal to behold hath he shown to me afterhis exile. ANT. And he returned not when he had slain him. ISM. No--but after being saved he lost his life. ANT. In very truth he lost it. ISM. Ay, and he cut off his brother. ANT. Wretched family! ISM. That hath endured wretchedness. Woes that are wretched and of onename. Thoroughly steeped in three-fold sufferings. ANT. Deadly to tell-- ISM. Deadly to look on. CH. Alas! alas! thou Destiny, awarder of bitterness, wretched! and thoudread shade of OEdipus! and dark Erinnys! verily art thou great inmight. ANT. Thou in sooth knowest this by passing through it. ISM. And so dost thou, having learned it just as soon as he. ANT. After that thou didst return to the city. ISM. An antagonist too to this man here in battle-fray. ANT. Deadly to tell. ISM. Deadly to look on. ANT. Alas! the trouble. ISM. Alas! the horrors upon our family and our land, and me above all. ANT. Alas! alas! and me, be sure, more than all. ISM. Alas! alas! for the wretched horrors! O sovereign Eteocles, ourchieftain! ANT. Alas! ye most miserable of all men. ISM. Alas! ye possessed by Atè. ANT. Alas! alas! where in the land shall we place them both? Alas! inthe spot that is most honorable. Alas! alas! a woe fit to sleep besidemy father. [177] _Enter_ HERALD. 'Tis my duty to announce the good pleasure and the decree of thesenators of the people of this city of Cadmus. It is resolved to burythis body of Eteocles for his attachment to his country, with the dearinterment in earth! for in repelling our foes he met death in the city, and being pure in respect to the sacred rites of his country, blamelesshath he fallen where 'tis glorious for the young to fall; thus, indeed, hath it been commissioned me to announce concerning this corpse: But [ithas been decreed] to cast out unburied, a prey for dogs, this the corpseof his brother Polynices, inasmuch as he would have been the overturnerof the land of Cadmus, if some one of the gods had not stood inopposition to his spear: and even now that he is dead, he will lie underthe guilt of pollution with the gods of his country, whom he havingdishonored was for taking the city by bringing against it a foreignhost. So it is resolved that he, having been buried dishonorably bywinged fowls, should receive his recompense, and that neither piling upby hands of the mound over his tomb should follow, nor any one honor himwith shrill-voiced wailings, but that he be ungraced with a funeral atthe hands of his friends. Such is the decree of the magistracy of theCadmæans. ANT. But I say to the rulers of the Cadmæans, if not another singleperson is willing to take part with me in burying him, I will bury him, and will expose myself[178] to peril by burying my brother. And I feelno shame at being guilty of this disobedient insubordination against thecity. Powerful is the tie of the common womb from which we sprung, froma wretched mother and a hapless sire. Wherefore, my soul, do thou, willing with the willing share in his woes, with the dead, thou living, with sisterly feeling--and nought shall lean-bellied wolves tear hisflesh--let no one suppose it. All woman though I be, I will contrive atomb and a deep-dug grave for him, bearing earth in the bosom-fold ofmy fine linen robe, and I myself will cover him; let none imagine thecontrary: an effective scheme shall aid my boldness. HER. I bid thee not to act despite the state in this matter. ANT. I bid thee not announce to me superfluous things. HER. Yet stern is a people that has just escaped troubles. ANT. Ay, call it stern[179]--yet this [corpse] shall not lie unburied. HER. What! wilt thou honor with a tomb him whom our state abhors?[180] HER. ANT. Heretofore he has not been honored by the gods. [181] HER. Not so, at least before he put this realm in jeopardy. ANT. Having suffered injuriously he repaid with injury. HER. Ay, but this deed of his fell on all instead of one. ANT. Contention is the last of the gods to finish a dispute, [182] and Iwill bury him; make no more words. HER. Well, take thine own way--yet I forbid thee. [Exit_ HERALD. CH. Alas! alas! O ye fatal Furies, proudly triumphant, and destructiveto this race, ye that have ruined the family of OEdipus from its root. What will become of me? What shall I do? What can I devise? How shall Ihave the heart neither to bewail thee nor to escort thee to the tomb?But I dread and shrink from the terror of the citizens. Thou, at allevents, shalt in sooth have many mourners; but he, wretched one, departsunsighed for, having the solitary-wailing dirge of his sister. Who willagree to this? SEM. Let the state do or not do aught to those who bewail Polynices. We, on this side will go and join to escort his funeral procession; for boththis sorrow is common to the race, and the state at different timessanctions different maxims of justice. SEM. But we will go with this corpse, as both the city and justice jointo sanction. For next to the Immortals and the might of Jove, this manprevented the city of the Cadmæans from being destroyed, and thoroughlyoverwhelmed by the surge of foreign enemies. FOOTNOTES [1] Lucian, in his dialogue entitled "Prometheus, " or "Caucasus, " has given occasional imitations of passages in this play, not, however, sufficient to amount to a paraphrase, as Dr. Blomfield asserted. Besides, as Lucian lays the scene at Caucasus, he would rather seem to have had the "Prometheus solutus" in mind. (See Schutz, Argum. ) But the ancients commonly made Caucasus the seat of the punishment of Prometheus, and, as Æschylus is not over particular in his geography, it is possible that he may be not altogether consistent with himself. Lucian makes no mention of Strength and Force, but brings in Mercury at the beginning of the dialogue. Moreover, Mercury is represented in an excellent humor, and rallies Prometheus good-naturedly upon his tortures. Thus, §6, he says, [Greek: eu echei. Kataptêsetai de êdê kai ho aetos apokerôn to hêpar, hôs panta echois anti tês kalês kai eumêchanou plastikês. ] In regard to the place where Prometheus was bound, the scene doubtless represented a ravine between two precipices rent from each other, with a distant prospect of some of the places mentioned in the wanderings of Io. (See Schutz, _ibid. _) But as the whole mention of Scythia is an anachronism, the less said on this point the better. Compare, however, the following remarks of Humboldt, Cosmos, vol. Ii. P. 140, "The legend of Prometheus, and the unbinding of the chains of the fire-bringing Titan on the Caucasus by Hercules in journeying eastward--the ascent of Io from the valley of the Hybrites--[See Griffiths' note on v. 717, on [Greek: hybristês potamos], which _must_ be a proper name]--toward the Caucasus; and the myth of Phryxus and Helle--all point to the same path on which Phoenician navigators had earlier adventured. " [2] Dindorf, in his note, rightly approves the elegant reading [Greek: abroton (=apanthrôpon)] in lieu of the frigid [Greek: abaton]. See Blomf. And Burges. As far as this play is concerned, the tract was not actually _impassable_, but it was so to _mortals_. [3] [Greek: leôrgos = rhadiourgos, panourgos, kakourgos]. Cf. Liddell and Linwood, s. V. The interpretation and derivation of the etym. Magn. [Greek: ho tôn anthrôpôn plastês], is justly rejected by Dindorf, who remarks that Æschylus paid no attention to the fable respecting Prometheus being the maker of mankind. [4] The epithet [Greek: pantechnou], which might perhaps be rendered "art-full, " is explained by v. 110 and 254. [5] See Jelf. Gk. Gr. §720, 2d. [6] There seems little doubt that [Greek: euôriazein] is the right reading. Its ironical force answers to Terence's "probe curasti. " [7] I have spelled Sire in all places with a capital letter, as Jove is evidently meant. See my note on v. 49. [8] This is not a mere zeugma, but is derived from the supposition that sight was the chief of the senses, and in a manner included the rest. (Cf. Plato Tim. P. 533, C. D. ) See the examples adduced by the commentators. Schrader on Musæus 5, and Boyes, Illustrations to Sept. C. Th. 98. Shakespeare has burlesqued this idea in his exquisite buffoonery, Midsummer Night's Dream, Act v. Sc. 1. _Pyramus. _ I see a voice: now will I to the chink, To spy an I can hear my Thisby's face. [9] Claudian de rapt. Pros. II. 363. "Stellantes nox picta sinus. " See on Soph. Trach. 94. [10] _I. E. _, having no rest. Soph. OEd. Col. 19. [Greek: kôla kampson toud' ep' axestou petrou]. [11] The difficulties of this passage have been increased by no one of the commentators perceiving the evident opposition between [Greek: Theoi] and [Greek: Zeus]. As in the formula [Greek: ô Zeu kai Theoi] (cf. Plato Protag. P. 193, E. ; Aristoph. Plut. I. With Bergler's note; Julian Cæs. P. 51, 59, 76; Dionys. Hal. A. R. II. P. 80, 32-81, 20, ed. Sylb. ) so, from the time of Homer downward, we find [Greek: Zeus] constantly mentioned apart from the other gods (cf. Il. I. 423, 494), and so also with his epithet [Greek: patêr], as in v. 4, 17, 20, etc. (Eustath, on Il. T. I. , p. 111, 30, [Greek: hoti Zeus allachou men haplôs patêr elechthê]). There is evidently, therefore, the opposition expressed in the text: "'Tis not for the other gods (_i. E. _ [Greek: tois allois theois]) to rule, but for Jove alone. " This view was approved, but not confirmed, by Paley. [12] See Dindorf. [13] Paley well observes that there is no objection to this interpretation, for if Prometheus could endure the daily gnawing of his entrails by the vulture, the rivets wouldn't put him to much trouble. Lucian, § 6, is content with fastening his hands to the two sides of the chasm. [14] [Greek: tychês] is retained by Dindorf, but [Greek: technês] is defended by Griffiths and Paley. I think, with Burges, that it is a gloss upon [Greek: Promêtheôs]. [15] So Milton, P. L. Iv. 165. Cheer'd with the grateful smell old Ocean _smiles_. Lord Byron (opening of the Giaour): There mildly _dimpling_ Ocean's cheek Reflects the tints of many a peak, Caught by the _laughing_ tides that lave Those Edens of the eastern wave. [16] Literally "filling a rod, " [Greek: plêrôtos] here being active. Cf. Agam. 361, [Greek: atês panalôtou]. Choeph. 296, [Greek: pamphthartô morô]. Pers. 105, [Greek: polemous pyrgodaïktous]. See also Blomfield, and Porson on Hes. 1117, [Greek: narthêx] is "ferula" or "fennel-giant, " the pith of which makes excellent fuel. Blomfield quotes Proclus on Hesiod, Op. 1, 52, "the [Greek: narthêx] preserves flame excellently, having a soft pith inside, that nourishes, but can not extinguish the flame. " For a strange fable connected with this theft, see Ælian Hist. An. VI. 51. [17] On the preternatural scent supposed to attend the presence of a deity, cf Eur. Hippol. 1391, with Monk's note, Virg. Æn. I. 403, and La Cerda. See also Boyes's Illustrations. [18] On [Greek: dê] cf. Jelf, Gk. Gr. § 723, 2. [19] Elmsley's reading, [Greek: petra . . . Tade], is preferred by Dindorf, and seems more suitable to the passage. But if we read [Greek: taisde], it will come to the same thing, retaining [Greek: petrais]. [20] Surely we should read this sentence interrogatively, as in v. 99, [Greek: pê pote mochthôn Chrê termata tônd' epiteilai;] although the editions do not agree as to that passage. So Burges. [21] Nominativus Pendens. Soph, Antig. 259, [Greek: logoi d' en allêloisin errothoun kakoi, phylax elenchôn phylaka], where see Wunder, and Elmsley on Eur. Heracl. 40. But it is probably only the [Greek: schêma kath' holon kai meros], on which see Jelf, Gk. Gr. § 478, and the same thing takes place with the accusative, as in Antig. 21, sq. 561. See Erfurdt on 21. [22] See Linwood's Lexicon, s. V. [Greek: ameibô], whose construing I have followed. [23] Cf. Virg. Æn. I. 167, "Intus aquæ dulces, vivoque sedilia saxo. " "The rudest habitation, ye might think That it had sprung from earth self-raised, or grown Out of the living rock. "--Wordsworth's Excursion, Book vi. Compare a most picturesque description of Diana's cave, in Apul. Met. II. P. 116; Elm. Telemachus, Book I. ; Undine, ch. Viii. ; Lane's Arabian Nights, vol. Iii. P. 385. [24] Although Dindorf has left [Greek: ÔKEANOS] before the lines beginning with [Greek: ou dêta], yet as he in his notes, p. 54, approves of the opinion of Elmsley (to which the majority of critics assent), I have continued them to Prometheus. Dindorf (after Burges) remarks that the particles [Greek: ou dêta] deceived the copyists, who thought that they pointed to the commencement of a new speaker's address. He quotes Soph. OEd. C. 433; Eur. Alcest. 555; Heracl. 507, sqq. , where it is used as a continuation of a previous argument, as in the present passage. [25] It has been remarked that Æschylus had Pindar in mind, see Pyth. I. 31, and VIII. 20. On this fate of Enceladus cf. Philostrat. De V. Apoll. V. 6; Apollodorus I. ; Hygin. Fab. 152; and for poetical descriptions, Cornel. Severus Ætna, 70, "Gurgite Trinacrio morientem Jupiter Ætna Obruit Enceladum, vasti qui pondere montis Æstuat, et patulis exspirat faucibus ignes. " Virg. Æn. III. 578; Valer. Flacc. II. 24; Ovid. Met. V. Fab. V. 6; Claudian, de raptu Pros. I. 155; Orph. Arg. 1256. Strabo, I. P. 42, makes Hesiod acquainted with these eruptions. (See Goettling on Theog. 821. ) But Prometheus here utters a prophecy concerning an eruption that really took place during the life of Æschylus, Ol. 75, 2, B. C. 479. Cf. Thucydides III. 116; Cluver, Sicil. Antig. P. 104, and Dindorf's clear and learned note. There can be little doubt but Enceladus and Typhon are only different names for the same monster. Burges has well remarked the resemblance between the Egyptian Typho and the Grecian, and considers them both as "two outward forms of one internal idea, representing the destructive principle of matter opposed to the creative. " I shall refer the reader to Plutarch's entertaining treatise on Isis and Osiris; but to quote authorities from Herodotus down to the Apologetic Fathers, would be endless. [26] I think, notwithstanding the arguments of Dindorf, that [Greek: orgês nosousês] means "a mind distempered, " and that [Greek: logoi] mean "arguments, reasonings. " Boyes, who always shows a _poetical_ appreciation of his author, aptly quotes Spenser's Fairy Queen, b. 2, c. 8, st. 26. "Words well dispost, Have secrete powre t' appease inflamed rage. " And Samson Agonistes: "Apt words have power to swage The tumors of a troubled mind. " The reading of Plutarch, [Greek: psychês] appears to be a mere gloss. [27] Intellige _audaciam prudentiâ conjunctam_. --Blomfield. [28] [Greek: aichma] is rendered "indoles" by Paley (see on Ag. 467). Linwood by "authority, " which is much nearer the truth, as the spear was anciently used for the sceptre. Mr. Burges opportunely suggests Pindar's [Greek: enchos zakoton], which he gives to Jupiter, Nem. Vi. 90. [29] Asia is here personified. [30] All commentators, from the scholiast downward, are naturally surprised at this mention of Arabia, when Prometheus is occupied in describing the countries bordering on the Euxine. Burges conjectures [Greek: Abarios], which he supports with considerable learning. But although the name [Greek: Abarides] (mentioned by Suidas) might well be given to those who dwelt in unknown parts of the earth, from the legendary travels of Abaris with his arrow, yet the epithet [Greek: areion anthos] seems to point to some really existing nation, while [Greek: Abaries] would rather seem proverbial. Till, then, we are more certain, Æschylus must still stand chargeable with geographical inconsistency. [31] I have followed Burges and Dindorf, although the latter retains [Greek: akamantodetois] in his text. [32] Why Dindorf should have adopted Hermann's frigid [Greek: hypostegazei], is not easily seen. The reader will, however, find Griffiths' foot-note well deserving of inspection. [33] On [Greek: prouseloumenon], see Dindorf. [34] Among the mythographi discovered by Maii, and subsequently edited by Bode, the reader will find some allegorical explanations of these benefits given by Prometheus. See Myth. Primus I. 1, and tertius 3, 10, 9. They are, however, little else than compilations from the commentary of Servius on Virgil, and the silly, but amusing, mythology of Fulgentius. On the endowment of speech and reason to men by Prometheus, cf. Themist. Or. Xxxvi. P. 323, C. D. And xxvi. P. 338, C. Ed. Hard. ; and for general illustrations, the notes of Wasse on Sallust, Cat. Sub init. [35] Brick-building is first ascribed to Euryalus and Hyperbius, two brothers at Athens, by Pliny, H. N. Vii. 56, quoted by Stanley. After caves, huts of beams, filled in with turf-clods, were probably the first dwellings of men. See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, p. 217, ed. Bohn. This whole passage has been imitated by Moschion apud Stob. Ecl. Phys. I. 11, while the early reformation of men has ever been a favorite theme for poets. Cf. Eurip. Suppl. 200 sqq. ; Manilius I. 41, sqq. ; and Bronkhus, on Tibull. I. 3, 35. [36] Cf. Apul de Deo Socr. § II. Ed. Meæ, "quos probe callet, qui signorum ortus et obitus comprehendit, " Catullus (in a poem imitated from Callimachus) carm. 67, 1. "Omnia qui magni dispexit lumina mundi, Qui stellarum ortus comperit atque obitus. " See on Agam. 7. [37] On the following discoveries consult the learned and entertaining notes of Stanley. [38] [Greek: êgagon philênious], i. E. [Greek: hôste philênious einai]. [39] See the elaborate notes of Blomfield and Burges, from whence all the other commentators have derived their information. [Greek: Krasis] is what Scribonius Largus calls "compositio. " Cf. Rhodii Lexicon Scribon, p. 364-5; Serenus Sammonicus "synthesis. " The former writer observes in his preface, p. 2, "est enim hæc pars (compositio, scilicet) medicinæ ut maxime necessaria, ita certe antiquissima, et ob hoc primum celebrata atque illustrata. Siquidem verum est, antiquos herbis ac radicibus earum corporis vitia curasse. " [40] Apul. De Deo Socr. § 20, ed. Meæ, "ut videmus plerisque usu venire, qui nimia ominum superstitione, non suopte corde, sed alterius verbo, reguntur: et per angiporta reptantes, consilia ex alienis vocibus colligunt. " Such was the voice that appeared to Socrates. See Plato Theog. P. 11. A. Xenoph. Apol. 12; Proclus in Alcib. Prim. 13, p. 41. Creuz. See also Stanley's note. [41] On these augurial terms see Abresch. [42] Although the Vatican mythologist above quoted observes of Prometheus, "deprehendit præterea rationem fulminum, et hominibus indicavit--" I should nevertheless follow Stanley and Blomfield, in understanding these words to apply to the omens derived from the flame and smoke ascending from the sacrifices. [43] Cf. Herodot. I. 91, quoted by Blomfield: [Greek: tên peprômenên moirên adynata esti apophygeein kai tô theô]. On this Pythagorean notion of Æschylus see Stanley. [44] Or, "in pleasure at the nuptials. " See Linwood. Burges: "for the one-ness of marriage. " [45] No clew is given as to the form in which Io was represented on the stage. In v. 848, the promise [Greek: entautha dê se Zeus tithêsin emphrona] does not imply any bodily change, but that Io labored under a mental delusion. Still the mythologists are against us, who agree in making her transformation complete. Perhaps she was represented with horns, like the Egyptian figures of Isis, but in other respects as a virgin, which is somewhat confirmed by v. 592, [Greek: klyeis phthegma tas boukerô parthenou]. [46] "Gad-fly" or "brize. " See the commentators. [47] On the discrepancies of reading, see Dind. With the whole passage compare Nonnus, Dionys. III. P. 62, 2. [Greek: taurophyês hote portis ameibomenoio prosôpou eis agelên agraulos elauneto synnomos Iô. Kai damalês agrypnon ethêkato boukolon Hêrê poikilon aplaneessi kekasmenon Argon opôpais Zênos opipeutêra bookrairôn hymenaiôn. Zênos athêêtoio kai es nomon êïe kourê, ophthalmous tromeousa polyglênoio nomêos. Gyioborô de myôpi charassomenê demas Iô Ioniês [halos] oidma kategraphe phoitadi chêlê. êlthe kai eis Aigypton]-- This writer, who constantly has the Athenian dramatists in view, pursues the narrative of Io's wanderings with an evident reference to Æschylus. See other illustrations from the poets in Stanley's notes. [48] The ghost of Argus was doubtless whimsically represented, but probably without the waste of flour that is peculiar to modern stage spectres. Perhaps, as Burges describes, "a mute in a dress resembling a peacock's tail expanded, and with a Pan's pipe slung to his side, which ever and anon he seems to sound; and with a goad in his hand, mounted at one end with a representation of a hornet or gad-fly. " But this phantom, like Macbeth's dagger, is supposed to be in the mind only. With a similar idea Apuleius, Apol. P. 315, ed. Elm. Invokes upon Æmilianus in the following mild terms: "At . . . Semper obvias species mortuorum, quidquid umbrarum est usquam, quidquid lemurum, quidquid manium, quidquid larvarum oculis tuis oggerat: omnia noctium occursacula, omnia bustorum formidamina, omnia sepulchrorum terriculamenta, a quibus tamen ævo emerito haud longe abes. " [49] I have followed Dindorf's elegant emendation. See his note, and Blomf. On Ag. 1. [50] After the remarks of Dindorf and Paley, it seems that the above must be the sense, whether we read [Greek: hôn] with Hermann, or take [Greek: hôs] for [Greek: ê hôs] with the above mentioned editor. [51] Paley remarks that [Greek: tas pol. Tychas] is used in the same manner as in Pers. 453, [Greek: phtharentes]="shipwrecked" (see his note), or "wandering. " He renders the present passage "the adventures of her long wanderings. " [52] With the earlier circumstances of this narrative compare the beautiful story of Psyche in Apuleius, Met. IV. P. 157, sqq. Elm. [53] Cf Ag. 217, [Greek: epei d' anankas edy lepadnon]. [54] [Greek: krênên] is the elegant conjecture of Canter, approved by Dindorf. In addition to the remarks of the commentators, the tradition preserved by Pausanias II. 15, greatly confirms this emendation. He remarks, [Greek: therous de aua sphisin esti ta rheumata plên tôn en Lernê]. It was probably somewhat proverbial. [55] I shall not attempt to enter into the much-disputed geography of Io's wanderings. So much has been said, and to so little purpose, on this perplexing subject, that to write additional notes would be only to furnish more reasons for doubting. [56] Probably the Kurban. Schutz well observes that the words [Greek: ou pseudônymon] could not be applied to an epithet of the poet's own creation. Such, too, was Humboldt's idea. See my first note on this play. [57] See Schutz and Griffiths. [58] Wrapped in mystery as the liberation of Prometheus is in this drama, it may be amusing to compare the following extracts from the Short Chronicle prefixed to Sir I. Newton's Chronology. "968. B. C. Sesak, having carried on his victories to Mount Caucasus, leaves his nephew Prometheus there, to guard the pass, etc. "937. The Argonautic expedition. Prometheus leaves Mount Caucasus, being set at liberty by Hercules, " etc. --Old Translator. [59] Stanley compares Pindar, Isth. Vii. 33. ----[Greek: peprômenon ên pherteron gonon [hoi] anakta patros tekein]. And Apoll. Rhod. Iv. 201. Also the words of Thetis herself in Nonnus, Dionys. Xxxiii. 356. [Greek: Zeus me patêr ediôke kai êthelen es gamon helkein, ei mê min potheonta gerôn anekopte Promêtheus, thespizôn Kroniônos areiona paida phyteusai]. [60] "These were; 1. Epaphus; 2. Lybia; 3. Belus; 4. Danaus; 5. Hypermnestra; 6. Abas; 7. Proetus; 8. Acrisius; 9. Danae; 10. Perseus; 11. Electryon; 12. Alcmena; 13. Hercules. "--Blomfield. [61] For two ways of supplying the lacuna in this description of Io's travels, see Dindorf and Paley. [62] Being turned into stone. Such was the punishment of the fire-worshipers in the story of the first Lady of Baghdad. See Arabian Nights, Vol. I. , p. 198. The mythico-geographical allusions in the following lines have been so fully and so learnedly illustrated, that I shall content myself with referring to the commentators. [63] See Linwood's Lexicon and Griffiths' note. [64] There is still much doubt about the elision [Greek: esesth', ei]. Others read the passage interrogatively. See Griffiths and Dindorf. [65] This pun upon the name of Epaphus is preserved by Moschus II. 50. [Greek: en d' ên Zeus, epaphômenos êrema cheiri theeiê portios Inachiês. Tên heptaporô para Neilô ek boos eukeraoio palin metameibe gynaika. ] and Nonnus, III. P. 62, 20: [Greek: enth' Epaphon dii tikten akêrasiôn hoti kolpôn Inachiês damalês epaphêsato theios akoitês chersin erôsaneessi--] [66] There is much difficulty in this passage. Dindorf understands [Greek: ekeinôn] (Ægypti filiorum), and so Paley, referring to his notes on Ag. 938, Suppl. 437. Mr. Jelf, Gk. Gr. , § 696, Obs. 3, appears to take the same view. There does not, therefore, seem any need of alteration. On the other interpretation sometimes given to [Greek: phthonon hixei sômatôn], see Linwood, v. [Greek: phthonos]. [67] [Greek: sphagaisi] is rightly rendered "in jugulo" by Blomfield, after Ruhnk. Ep. Crit. I. P. 71. To the examples quoted add Apul. Met. I. P. 108, "per jugulum sinistrum capulotenus gladium totum ei demergit, " and p. 110, "jugulo ejus vulnus dehiscit in patorem, " The expression [Greek: nyktiphrourêtô thrasei] is well illustrated by the words of Nonnus, I. C. P. 64, 17. [Greek: kai kryphiois xipheessi sidêrophorôn epi lektrôn arsena gymnon Arêa kateunase thêlys Enyô]. [68] See Nonnus I. C. Ovid, ep. Xiv. 51, sqq. "Sed timor, et pietas crudelibus obstitit ausis: Castaque mandatum dextra refugit opus. " [69] On [Greek: sphakelos] see Ruhnk. Tim. P. 123, and Blomfield. [70] See Paley. [Greek: a] is never intensive. [71] On this admonition, generally attributed to Pittacus, see Griffiths, and for a modern illustration in the miseries of Sir John Anvil (or Enville), Knt. , the Spectator, No. 299. [72] Paley would supply [Greek: potniai] to complete the metre. [73] I have followed Griffiths. [74] Dindorf would throw out [Greek: aphobos], Paley [Greek: ou dedia], remarking that the sense appears to require [Greek: hote]. [75] _I. E. _ possessing resources even among impossibilities. Cf. Antig. 360. [Greek: aporos ep' ouden erchetai], and for the construction, Jelf, Gk. Gr. § 581, 2. Obs. [76] I think Elmsley has settled the question in favor of [Greek: toion] for [Greek: hoion]. [77] "In Æschylus we seem to read the vehement language of an old servant of exploded Titanism: with him Jupiter and the Olympians are but a new dynasty, fresh and exulting, insolent and capricious, the victory just gained and yet but imperfectly secured over the mysterious and venerable beings who had preceded, TIME, HEAVEN, OCEAN, EARTH and her gigantic progeny: Jupiter is still but half the monarch of the world; his future fall is not obscurely predicted, and even while he reigns, a gloomy irresistible destiny controls his power. "--Quart. Rev. Xxviii, 416. [79] Milton, Samson Agon. _Dalilah. _ "I see thou art implacable, more deaf To prayers than winds or seas. " Merchant of Venice, Act 4, sc. 1. "You may as well go stand upon the beach And bid the main flood bate his usual height. " See Schrader on Musæus, 320. [80] See Linwood's Lexicon. Cf. Nonnus, Dionys. II. P. 45, 22. [Greek: desma phygôn dolomêtis homartêseie Promêtheus, hêpatos hêbôontos apheidea daitymonêa ouraniês thrasyn ornin echôn pompêa keleuthou]. [81] I have adopted Dindorf's emendation. See his note. [82] How the cosmoramic effects here described were represented on the stage, it is difficult to say, but such descriptions are by no means rare in the poets. Compare Musæus, 314, sqq. Lucan, I. 75 sqq. And a multitude in the notes of La Cerda on Virgil, Æn. I. 107, and Barthius on Claudian. Gigant. 31, sqq. Nonnus, Dionys. I. P. 12. [83] Or, "of which may Jove the Averter be what his name imports. " See Paley and Linwood's Lex. [84] This interpretation is now fully established, See Paley. Thus Cæsar, B. G. I. 29, "qui arma ferre possent: et item separatius pueri, senes;" II. 28, Eteocles wishes even the [Greek: achreioi] to assist in the common defense. [85] [Greek: pistoi] is to be supplied with [Greek: genoisthe]. [86] Although [Greek: botêr] may be compared with the Roman _pullarius_, yet the phrase is here probably only equivalent to [Greek: despotês manteumatôn] soon after. [87] Paley prefers "nocturno concilio agitari, " comparing Rhes. 88, [Greek: tas sas pros eunas phylakes elthontes phobô nyktêgorousi]. On the authority of Griffiths, I have supplied [Greek: tous Achaious] before [Greek: epibouleuein]. [88] See my note on Prom. 863. [89] See commentators. [90] Cf. Jelf. Gk. Gr. § 566, 2. [91] See Linwood, s. V. [Greek: stephein]. Paley compares v. 267, [Greek: Laphyra daôn douriplêchth' hagnois domois Stepsô pro naôn]. Adrastus alone had been promised a safe return home. [92] Cf. Eum. 515, [Greek: oikton oiktisaito], _would utter cries of pity_. Suppl. 59, [Greek: oikton oiktron aïôn], _hearing one mournful piteous cry_. The old translations rendered it, "no regret was expressed on their countenance. " [93] Perhaps we might render [Greek: phraxai], _dam_, in order to keep up the metaphor of the ship. Cf. Hom. Od. V. 346, [Greek: phraxe de min rhipessi diamperes oisyinêsi]. The closing the ports of a vessel to keep out the water will best convey the meaning to modern readers. [94] This seems the true meaning of [Greek: ephestios], _indigenous in Greece_, as Blomfield interprets, quoting Hesych, [Greek: ephestios, autochthôn, enoikos], II. B. 125, etc. An Athenian audience, with their political jealousy of Asiatic influence, and pride of indigenous origin, would have appreciated this prayer as heartily as the one below, v. 158, [Greek: polin doriponon mê prodôth' Heterophônô stratô], which their minds would connect with more powerful associations than the mere provincial differences of Boeotia and Argos. How great a stress was laid upon the ridicule of foreign dialect, may be seen from the reception of Pseudartabas in the Acharnians. [95] Cf. Arist. Rhet. II. 17, 6. The same sentiment, though expressed the contrary way, occurs in Eur. Troad. 26, [Greek: Erêmia gar polin hotan labê kakê, Nosei ta tôn theôn oude timasthai thelei]. [96] The chorus survey the surrounding plains from a high part of the Acropolis of Thebes, as Antigone from the top of the palace in the Phoenissæ of Euripides, v. 103, sqq. [97] [Greek: prodromos]=_so as to be foremost_. Cf. Soph. Antig. 108, [Greek: phygada prodromon oxyterô kinêsasa chalinô]. [98] This passage is undoubtedly corrupt, but Dindorf's conjecture [Greek: hele d' emas phrenas deos; hoplôn ktypos potichrimptetai, dia pedon boa potatai, bremei d']--, although ingenious, differs too much from the _ductus literarum_, to be considered safe. Paley from the interpretation of the Medicean MS. And the reading of Robortelli, [Greek: eDIDemnas], has conjectured [Greek: DIA de gas emas pedi' hoploktypou], which seems preferable. Perhaps we might read [Greek: epi de gas pedioploktypou ôsin chrimp. Boa], by tmesis, for [Greek: epichrimptetai]. Æschylus used the compound, [Greek: enchriptesthai], Suppl. 790, and nothing is more common than such a tmesis. I doubt whether [Greek: pedioploktypon] is not one of Æschylus' own "high-crested" compounds. Mr. Burges has kindly suggested a parallel passage of an anonymous author, quoted by Suidas, s. V. [Greek: hyparattomenês: hippôn chremetizontôn, tês gês tois posin autôn hyparattomenês, oulôn synkrouomenôn]. [99] Cf. Soph. Antig. 106. [100] Cf. Virg. _Æn. _ I. 479; "Interea ad templum non æquæ Palladis ibant Crinibus Iliades passis, peplumque ferebant Suppliciter tristes"-- Statius, Theb. X. 50: ----"et ad patrias fusæ Pelopeides aras Sceptriferæ Junonis opem, reditumque suorum Exposcunt, pictasque fores, et frigida vultu Saxa terunt, parvosque docent procumbere natos * * * * * Peplum etiam dono, cujus mirabile textum, " etc. [101] Here there is a gap in the metre. See Dindorf. [102] "pro vitanda servitute. "--Paley. [103] Not "at the seven gates, " as Valckenaer has clearly shown. [104] The paronomasia can only be kept up by rendering, "do thou, king of wolves, fall with wolf-like fierceness, " etc. Müller, Dorians, vol. I. P. 325, considers that [Greek: Lykeios] is connected with [Greek: lykê], _light_, not with [Greek: lykos], _a wolf_. [105] I follow Paley's emendation, [Greek: aütais]. [106] See a judicious note of Paley's. [107] I have borrowed Griffiths' translation. It seems impossible that [Greek: hagnon telos] could ever be a personal appeal, while [Greek: sy te] evidently shows that the address to Pallas Onca was unconnected with the preceding line. As there is probably a lacuna after [Greek: Diothen], it is impossible to arrive at any certain meaning. [108] See Stanley. [Greek: Onka] is a Phoenician word, and epithet of Minerva. [109] The boys, girls, etc. [110] Cf. Eur. Hippol. 1219, sqq. [Greek: kai despotês men hippikois en êthesi polys xynoikôn hêrpas' hênias cheroin, hêlkei de kôpên hôste naubatês anêr]. [111] _I. E. _ to adore the images placed at the head of the vessel. See Griffiths. [112] This far-fetched interpretation of an absurd text is rightly condemned by W. Dindorf in his note, who elegantly reads with Lud. Dindorf [Greek: hydasi t' Ismênou]. Paley has clearly shown the origin of the corruption. Linwood is equally disinclined to support the common reading. [113] Blomfield reads [Greek: egô de g' andras], the change of [Greek: DEG] to [Greek: DEP] being by no means a difficult one. Linwood agrees with this alteration, and Dindorf in his notes. But Paley still defends the common reading, thinking that [Greek: ep' echthrois] is to be taken from the following line. I do not think the poet would have hazarded a construction so doubtful, that we might take [Greek: epi] either with [Greek: andras], [Greek: echthrois], or by tmesis, with [Greek: axô]. [114] The construction of the exegetical accusative is well illustrated in Jelf's Gk. Gr. § 580, 3. [115] I have followed Blomfield, and Dindorf in his notes, in reading [Greek: kydos toisde politais]. [116] This is perhaps the sense required; but, with Dindorf, I can not see how it can be elicited from the common reading. Perhaps Schneider's [Greek: artitrophois] is right, which is approved by Dindorf, Linwood, and Paley. [117] There is the same irregular antithesis between [Greek: allon agei] and [Greek: ta de (=ta de) pyrphorei]; as in Soph. Ant. 138, [Greek: eiche d' alla ta men, alla d' ep' allois epenôma--Arês]. [118] See Elmsl. On Eur. Bacch. 611. I follow Griffiths and Paley. [119] There is much difficulty in the double participle [Greek: pesôn-kyrêsas]. Dindorf would altogether omit [Greek: kyrêsas], as a gloss. But surely [Greek: pesôn] was more likely to be added as a gloss, than [Greek: kyrêsas]. I think that the fault probably lies in [Greek: pesôn]. [120] This passage is scarcely satisfactory, but I have followed Paley. Perhaps if we place a comma after [Greek: hyperterou], and treat [Greek: hôs andr. D. Hyp. Eutych. ] as a genitive absolute, there will be less abruptness, [Greek: elpis esti] standing for [Greek: elpizousi], by a frequent enallage. [121] The turgidity of this metaphor is almost too much even for Æschylus! [122] The multitude of interpretations of the common reading are from their uniform absurdity sufficient to show that it is corrupt. I have chosen the least offensive, but am still certain that [Greek: apartizei] is indefensible. Hermann (who, strange to say, is followed by Wellauer) reads [Greek: katargizei], Blomfield [Greek: katartizei]. [123] Besides Stanley's illustrations, see Pricæus on Apul. Apol. P. 58. Pelagonius in the Geoponica, XVI. 2, observes [Greek: agathou de hippou kai touto tekmêrion, hotan hestêkôs mê anechêtai, alla krotôn tên gên hôsper trechein epithymê]. St. Macarius Hom. XXIII. 2, [Greek: epan de mathê (ho hippos) kai synethisthê eis ton polemon, hotan osphranthê kai akousê phônên polemou, autos hetoimôs erchetai epi tous echthrous, hôste kai ap' autês tês phônês ptoêsin empoiein tois polemiois]. Marmion, Canto V. , "Marmion, like charger in the stall, That hears without the trumpet's call, Began to chafe and swear. " [124] See Boyes' Illustrations, p. 11. [125] This seems to be the sense of [Greek: mantis ennoia]. Blomfield would add [Greek: ennoia] to the dative, which is easier. [126] So Linwood. Justice is styled the near relation of Melanippus, because he was [Greek: aischrôn argos], v. 406. The scholiast however interprets it [Greek: to tês xyngeneias dikaion]. [127] Dindorf's substitution of [Greek: dikaias] for [Greek: dikaiôs] is no improvement. Paley's [Greek: dikaios] is more elegant, but there seems little reason for alteration. [128] Probably nothing more than the lightning is meant, as Blomfield supposes. Paley quotes Eur. Cycl. 328, [Greek: peplon krouei, Dios brontaisin eis erin ktypôn]. And this agrees with the fate of Capaneus as described in Soph. Antig. 131, sqq. ; Nonnus, XXVIII. P. 480; Eur. Phoen. 1187, sqq. [129] Blomfield compares Eur. Bacch. 733, [Greek: thyrsois dia cheroin hôplismenas]. But the present construction is harsher. [130] See Blomfield. [131] I follow Blomfield and Paley. [132] "We embrace this opportunity of making a grammatical observation with respect to the older poets, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not hitherto been noticed by any grammarian or critic. Wherever a wish or a prayer is expressed, either by the single optative mood of the verb, or with [Greek: mê, eithe, ei gar, eithe gar], the verb is in the second aorist, if it have a distinct second aorist; otherwise it may be in the present tense, but is more frequently in the first aorist. "--Edinb. Rev. Xix. 485. [133] _I. E. _ not bearing a braggart inscription, but putting confidence in his own valor. [Greek: ou] was rightly thrown out by Erfurdt. See Paley. [134] _I. E. _ from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus. [135] Eteoclus and the figure on his shield. [136] Like a Bacchic devotee. See Virg. Æn. IV. 301, sqq. So in the Agamemnon, v. 477. [Greek: martyrei de moi kasis pêlou xynouros, dipsia konis, tade]. [137] Cf. Ag. 174. [Greek: Zêna de tis epinikia klazôn, Teuxetai phrenôn to pan]. Dindorf would omit all the following lines. There is some difficulty about the sense of [Greek: prosphileia], which I think Pauw best explains as meaning "such is the god that respectively befriends each of these champions. " [138] Cf. Apollon. Rhod. I. 466, [Greek: Istô nyn dory thouron hotô periôsion allôn kydos eni ptolemoisin aeiromai, oude m' ophellei Zeus toson, hossation per emon dory]. Statius Theb. Ix. 649--"ades o mihi dextera tantum Tu præsens bellis, et inevitable numen, Te voco, te solam superum contemptor adoro. " See Cerda on Virg. Æn. X. 773. [139] So Catullus, iii. 4, 5. Passer, deliciæ meæ puellæ, Quem plus illa oculis suis amabat. And Vathek, p. 124 (of the English version), "Nouronihar loved her cousin more than her own beautiful eyes. "--OLD TRANSLATOR. See Valcken. On Theocrit. Xi. 53. [140] A pun upon the word [Greek: parthenos] in the composition of Parthenopæus's name. [141] The figure on the shield is undoubtedly the one meant. [142] _I. E. _ "he will fight by wholesale. " See comm. Perhaps the English phrase to "deal a blow, " to "lend a blow, " is the nearest approximation to this curious idiom. Boyes quotes some neat illustrations. [143] This passage is a fair instance of the impossibility of construing certain portions of Æschylus as they are edited. Dindorf in his notes approves of Dobree's emendation, [Greek: kai ton son aut' adelphou es patros moron Exyptiazôn onoma], and so Paley, except that he reads [Greek: omma] with Schutz, and renders it "_oculo in patrio OEdipi fatum religiose sublato_. " Blomfield's [Greek: prosmolôn homosporon] seems simpler, and in better taste. [Greek: homosporon] was doubtless obliterated by the gloss [Greek: adelpheon] (an Ionic form ill suited to the senarius), and the [Greek: homoioteleuton] caused the remainder of the error. Burges first proposed [Greek: homosporon] in Troad. Append. P. 134, D. As to Paley's idea that OEdipus' death was caused "_per contentiorim filii indolem_, " I can not find either authority for the fact, or reason for its mention here, and I have therefore followed Blomfield. Dindorf's translation I can not understand. The explanations of [Greek: exyptiazôn onoma] are amusing, and that is all. [144] _I. E. _ saying [Greek: Polyneikes polyneikes]. Paley ingeniously remarks that [Greek: endateisthai] is here used in a double sense, both of _dividing_ and _reproaching_. See his note, and cf. Phoen. 636. [Greek: alêthôs onoma Polyneikê patêr etheto soi theia, pronoia, neikeôn epônymon]. [145] See Griffiths. [146] Porson, and all the subsequent editors have bracketed this verse, as spurious, but the chief objection to this sense of [Greek: karpizesthai] seems to be obviated by Paley. See his note. [147] Either with [Greek: palin] or [Greek: polin] there is much difficulty, as without an epithet [Greek: polis] seems harshly applied to Hades. Paley thinks that [Greek: tên makran] refers both to [Greek: pompên] and [Greek: polin]. Dindorf adopts his usual plan when a difficulty occurs, and proposes to omit the line. Fritzsche truly said of this learned critic, that if he had the privilege of omitting every thing he could not understand, the plays of the Grecian dramatists would speedily be reduced to a collection of fragments. [148] When the spear was not in use, it was held in the left hand, under the shield. See Blomfield. [149] Sc. King, or victor. Blomfield adopts the former. [150] This passage is not satisfactory. Paley reads [Greek: andrêlatôn], but I am doubtful about [Greek: tôs . . . Tonde . . . Tropon]. [151] In the original there is, perhaps, a slight mixture of construction, [Greek: haimatos] partly depending upon [Greek: karpos] implied in [Greek: pikrokarpon], and partly upon [Greek: androktasian], [Greek: androkt. . Haim. ] being _the slaughter of a man, by which his blood is shed_. [152] Wellauer: _denuntians lucrum, quod prius erit morte posteriore_: _i. E. _ victoriam quam sequetur mors. And so Griffiths and Paley. [153] Shakespeare uses this name in the opening speech of King Henry, in part I. : No more the thirsty Erinnys of this soil Shall daub her lips with her own children's blood. OLD TRANSLATOR. [154] See above, v. 383. [155] Somewhat to the same effect is the dream of Atossa in the Persæ. [156] I prefer Blomfield's transposition to Dindorf's correction, [Greek: blapsiphronôs], which, though repudiated in the notes, is still adopted by Paley. [157] A noble impersonation of the sword. [158] Shakespeare, King John, Act 4, sc. 2: That blood, which own'd the breadth of all this isle, Three foot of it doth hold. King Henry IV. Part I. Act 5, sc. 5: Fare thee well, great heart! Ill-weav'd ambition, how much art thou shrunk! When that this body did contain a spirit, A kingdom for it was too small a bound; But now, two paces of the vilest earth Is room enough. [159] Surely the full stop after [Greek: polin] in v. 749 should be removed, and a colon, or mark of hyperbaton substituted. On looking at Paley's edition, I find myself anticipated. [160] This is Griffiths' version of this awkward passage. I should prefer reading [Greek: alkan] with Paley, from one MS. So also Burges. [161] See my note on Soph. Philoct. 708, ed. Bohn. [162] This seems the best way of rendering the bold periphrase, [Greek: ho polybotos aiôn brotôn]. See Griffiths. [163] I follow Paley. Dindorf, in his notes, agrees in reading [Greek: trophas], but the metre seems to require [Greek: epikotos]. Griffiths defends the common reading, but against the ancient authority of the schol. On OEd. Col. 1375. See Blomfield. [164] Blomfield with reason thinks that a verse has been lost. [165] The care which the Messenger takes to show the bright side of the picture first, reminds us of Northumberland's speech, Shakespeare, King Henry IV. Part II. Act 1, sc. 1: This thou would'st say--Your son did thus and thus; Your brother, thus; so fought the noble Douglas; Stopping my greedy ear with their bold deeds; But in the end, to stop mine ear indeed, Thou hast a sigh to blow away this praise, Ending with--brother, son, and all are dead. --OLD TRANSL. [166] This is a good example of the figure chiasmus, the force of which I have expressed by the bracketed words repeated from the two infinities. See Latin examples in the notes of Arntzenius on Mamertin. Geneth. 8, p. 27; Pang. Vett. T. I. [167] The Messenger retires to dress for the Herald's part. Horace's rule, "Nec quarta loqui persona laboret, " seems to have been drawn from the practice of the Greek stage. Only three actors were allowed to each of the competitor-dramatists, and these were assigned to them by lot. (Hesychius, [Greek: Nemêsis hypokritôn]. ) Thus, for instance, as is remarked by a writer in the Quarterly Review, in the OEdipus at Colonus, v. 509, Ismene goes to offer sacrifice, and, after about forty lines, returns in the character of Theseus. Soon afterward, v. 847, Antigone is carried off by Creon's attendants, and returns as Theseus after about the same interval as before. --OLD TRANSLATION. The translator had misquoted the gloss of Hesychius. [168] This is the tragic account. See Soph. Antig. 170, sqq. ; Eurip. Phæn. 757, sqq. But other authors mention descendants of both. [169] Another pun on [Greek: Polyneikês]. [170] Cf. Romeo and Juliet, Act 4, sec. 3: "I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins. " [171] This passage is confessedly corrupt. Paley seems to have rightly restored [Greek: astolon] from the [Greek: astolon theôrida] in Robertelli's edition. This ship, as he remarks, would truly be [Greek: astolos], in opposition to the one sent to Delphi, which was properly said [Greek: stellesthai epi theôrian]. The words [Greek: astibê Apollôni] confirm this opinion. In regard to the allusions, see Stanley and Blomfield, also Wyttenbach on Plato Phædon. Sub. Init. [172] This repetition of [Greek: di' hôn] is not altogether otiose. Their contention for estate was the cause both of their being [Greek: ainomoroi] and of the [Greek: neikos] that ensued. [173] _I. E. _ the sword. Cf. V. 885. [174] This epithet applied to their ancestral tombs doubtless alludes to the violent deaths of Laïus and OEdipus. [175] On the enallage [Greek: sômati] for [Greek: sômasi] see Griffiths. The poet means to say that this will be all their possession after death. Still Blomfield's reading, [Greek: chômati], seems more elegant and satisfactory. [176] Pauw remarks that Polynices is the chief subject of Antigone's mourning, while Ismene bewails Eteocles. This may illustrate much of the following dialogue, as well as explain whence Sophocles derived his master-piece of character, the Theban martyr-heroine, Antigone. [177] Throughout this scene I have followed Dindorf's text, although many improvements have been made in the disposition of the dramatis personæ. Every one will confess that the length of [Greek: iô iô] commonplaces in this scene would be much against the play, but for the animated conclusion, a conclusion, however, that must lose all its finest interest to the reader who is unacquainted with the Antigone of Sophocles! [178] Wellauer (not Scholfield, as Griffiths says) defends the common reading from Herodot. V. 49. [179] [Greek: trachyne] But T. Burgess' emendation [Greek: trachys ge] seems better, and is approved by Blomfield. [180] Soph. Ant. 44. [Greek: ê gar noeis thaptein sph' aporrêton polei]. [181] I have taken Griffiths' translation of what Dindorf rightly calls "lectio vitiosa, " and of stuff that no sane person can believe came from the hand of Æschylus. Paley, who has often seen the truth where all others have failed, ingeniously supposes that [Greek: ou] is a mistaken insertion, and, omitting it, takes [Greek: diatetimêtai] in this sense: "_jam hic non amplius a diis honoratur; ergo ego eum honorabo. _" See his highly satisfactory note, to which I will only add that the reasoning of the Antigone of Sophocles, vss. 515, sqq. Gives ample confirmation to his view of this passage. [182] Blomfield would either omit this verse, or assign it to the chorus. The Hamilton, Locke and ClarkSERIES OFInterlinear Translations Have long been the Standard and are now the _Best Translated_ and _MostComplete_ Series of Interlinears published. 12mo. , well bound in Half Leather. Price reduced to $1. 50 each. 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